Indonesia News Update
Posted on: November 30, 2001 09:08:05 PM GMT
Tuesday, November 27, 2001
INDONESIA - In the first terrorist trial of the September 11 tragedy, the defense
attorney, Greg English, declined to represent his Indonesian client, Agus Budiman, for
the simple patriotic reason that he could not bring his conscience to defend someone
believed to have committed terrorism against his country. Based on several reports,
Budiman had known Mohammad Atta, the terrorist ringleader of the September 11
attacks, since the time that they were both in Hamburg, Germany. Budiman is
charged with illegal immigration status and providing false ID for Mohammad Atta.
Meanwhile Jafar Umar Thalib, the head of the Laskar Jihad, in a speech delivered on
November 14 made a very strong provocation against the ethnic Chinese by accusing
them of sending money to Afghanistan to help the Afgans buy blades to shave and
cut their hair. With his accusation Jafar encouraged the Muslims in Indonesia to also
go after the ethnic Chinese.
This speech only furthers and expands the dimensions of his extremism and support
for terrorism in Indonesia, the goal of which is to challenge and to further destabilize
the country. Such statements cannot be taken lightly, especially in light of mass
rapes against the females of the ethnic Chinese in May 1998, an act of crime that
was suspected to be sponsored by both the Indonesian government and military, yet
which has never been mentioned any longer up to this day.
Despite Jafar's denial of his link with Al Qaeda, several international media have linked
in Jafar's operation in Maluku as part of the training camps of the Al Qaeda worldwide
terrorist network. Indonesian police and President Megawati rushed to deny such
reports by saying there were no Al Qaeda training grounds in Maluku. However, what
they failed to state is that at the very least there are two Laskar Jihad training camps
in Maluku, one in Waai and another in Rumah-Tiga.
Meanwhile, in a meeting with the Indonesian Council of Churches, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, the Indonesian Minister for Security and Politics, indicated that the
presence of Laskar Jihad both in Maluku and Poso is needed to prevent any attacks
from the Christians against the Muslims, implying that the Laskar Jihad is in Maluku
and Poso only for self defense purposes. Such a remark from a high-level government
minister only undermines the capability of the Indonesian security forces--the police
and the military--to provide security and stability for all citizens, and serves to confuse
the political will of the Indonesian government to rid Indonesia of terrorism within its
borders.
Furthermore, report after report indicates that the physical and psychological
provocations have been initiated by the Laskar Jihad. It is the Laskar Jihad that have
much heavier arms than the Christians. In point of fact, there were at least 1500
weapons taken from the Brimob military weapon warehouse in May 2000 that have
never been accounted for.
Further reports indicate that there have been several foreign people, possibly from
Afghanistan, spotted in Poso and who were suspected to provide training to the
Laskar Jihad there. Meanwhile, extremist Muslims who were not able to go to
Afghanistan to fight along side the Taliban and Al Qaeda have been found around
Poso as well. Christians in Maluku and Poso are definitely highly vulnerable at this
moment from the threat of a very heavily armed Laskar Jihad, particularly when
combined with the confused political will and mixed signals coming from the
Indonesian government. At the same time, the threat against the ethnic Chinese has
been allowed to begin increasing again.
Meanwhile, though Indonesia is having a terrible time bringing several of its own major
regions under control (Maluku, Poso, Irian and Aceh), the government has indicated
its commitment to send about 1000 peacekeeping troops to Afghanistan.
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