The Australian, January 08, 2005
Militants join Aceh relief bid
Stephen Fitzpatrick and Banda Aceh
MILITANT Islamic groups are rushing to join the relief effort in Aceh but deny they
have any plans for holy war in the devastated Indonesian province - despite at least
two of them bearing the provocative word mujaheddin in their names.
The Islamic groups are based in Java, the heartland of regional terrorist network
Jemaah Islamiah, and all have links to Islamist-focused communal violence in eastern
Indonesia.
One, Laskar Mujahidin, has posted an English sign at its camp in Banda Aceh that
reads "Islamic Law Enforcement".
It has about 60 members distributing aid in Aceh, but claims to have at least 50
branches across Indonesia.
Laskar Mujahidin denies having any connection with the previously active and similarly
named militant group Laskar Jihad, which was formed to help wage war in the largely
Christian areas of Muluku, eastern Indonesia.
However, one member quizzed yesterday admitted that many of his colleagues had
fought in Muluku.
Analysts said Islamic terrorists known to operate in Indonesia would be foolish to try
to attack anyone helping the hundreds of thousands of tsunami victims, because it
could result in aid groups pulling out, and sour the militants' chances of building
popular support.
They warned, however, that radical groups helping the relief effort would also try to
stoke anti-Western sentiment -- and wait for an opportunity to attack if public support
for outside help waned.
Abu Aisha, a senior member of another group, Majelis Mujahidin, yesterday explained
that secularism and moral decline in Aceh were almost complete and it was the
responsibility of Islamic groups to re-establish the Muslim faith in the place where the
religion of Mohammed first entered Indonesia.
Mr Aisha denied, however, that Majelis Mujahidin was taking advantage of the
traumatic post-tsunami situation to proselytise, and said it was devout Muslims,
because of their strong faith, who were best prepared for the task of dealing with
Aceh's thousands of dead bodies -- not Australians and the others who said they had
come to help.
"We from Majelis Mujahidin, every time we meet an Acehnese person, we tell them
three things," he said. "Firstly that the tsunami is a test from God. Secondly, that it's
a warning. Thirdly, that it's a punishment.
"The first of those is for those people who are already pious. The second is for those
who have forgotten the way of God and need to be reminded. The third is for those
who are already on the wrong path."
He said it was important to re-establish Syariah, or Islamic, law in Aceh but groups
such as Majelis Mujahidin would have no problem helping Christians if needs be.
"You must understand that the involvement in Ambon doesn't mean we find the enemy
everywhere we go. If there is a Christian who needs help, we will help them, even
though our mission is to show the true Muslim path.
"Right now the only thing that's important is to help the Acehnese. It's already 12
days since the crisis began, and what has been done? Very little. There are still lots
of corpses everywhere -- especially if you compare Aceh to other places, like India or
Thailand."
Pressed on the presence of a T-shirt showing terrorist leader Osama bin Laden
hanging on a makeshift washing line belonging to the group, one of Mr Aisha's
colleagues laughed uproariously.
"So what?" he said. "We're all Muslims, that's all. You can buy that shirt in any
market you go to. Get one for yourself."
Additional reporting: AFP
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