The Australian, October 10, 2005
Indonesia 'cannot ban Jemaah Islamiah'
From correspondents in Jakarta
INDONESIAN Vice President Yusuf Kalla said yesterday the government cannot ban
an Islamic militant group blamed for the Bali bombings despite Australia's insistence
it do so, because it never recognised it in the first place.
"If we have never recognised the existence of that organisation, how can we disband
it?" Mr Kalla said.
He was referring to Jemaah Islamiah (JI), which has been blamed for a spate of
bombings in Indonesia in recent years.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is to travel to Indonesia next week and is
expected to lobby the government to ban the group.
JI was blamed for the first Bali attack in 2002 which killed 202 people including 88
Australians.
Its alleged religious leader Abu Bakar Bashir was jailed for conspiracy over the
bombing, but no action was taken to outlaw it.
JI is also suspected of being responsible for the three suicide bombings in Bali on
October 1, which left 23 dead, including four Australians.
© The Australian
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