Jubilee Campaign USA, December 19, 2001
International Terrorist in Poso
December 19, 2001
Dear Friend,
(This message was passed to us through Charles W Cole from Jakarta,
Indonesia)
Poso Regency of Central Sulawesi the site of intense attacks upon
Christians and the destruction of Christian villages has been used as a
base and training site by international terrorist groups, National
Intelligence Agency Chief, A.M. Hendropriyono said on Wednesday.
In speaking with journalist after his meeting with Indonesian President
Megawati Soekarnoputri retired general Hendropriyono said that the
continuing killings and destruction in Poso had been exacerbated by the
activities of international terrorist groups and domestic groups.
"Poso has been utilized by international terrorists groups to establish their
bases and training centers to support activities they plan from outside of
the country," Hendropriyono said.
The following day Hendropriyono announced that an abandoned training
camp had been discovered in the Poso area.
Asked whether Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network is among the
international terrorist groups, he said: "Yes, that is what it means...it is
among the groups that I mean." However, he refused to provide further
details of the indications of the network.
Police reports have confirmed that Afghan and Pakistan men have been
training Laskar Jihad warriors. Laskar Jihad (Jihad warriors) is a militant
Muslim group that has according to its own web site and government
reports sent at least 7,000 Jihad warriors to Poso.
Laskar Jihad has proudly announced the destruction of seven Christian
villages this past month. The Laskar Jihad have been able to operate
without restraint and often with military support in Maluku and Poso. The
Laskar Jihad are now denying connection with Usama Bin Laden and the
al-Qaeda terrorist network although earlier they admitted that al-Qaeda
leaders had visited Ambon.
The US embassy is concerned about the Laskar Jihad. The "Los Angeles
Times" reported in September, "Intelligence officials also believe that Bin
Laden's organization might seek to use the vast, unruly Indonesian
archipelago as a staging area for attacks in other countries. "We have
known for quite some time that the Bin Laden group has established itself
in Indonesia," a senior Western diplomat said this week, speaking on
condition of anonymity. "I think they see real opportunities in the world's
biggest Muslim country and one in which there are no effective controls."
y breaking up the body of the letter into logical topics, your readers can
focus in on the topic that they deem most relevant.
The prayers of Christians the last couple of weeks and the international
outcry has prompted the Indonesian government to send in thousands of
troops and police into Poso. The government has promised to disarm the
population of Poso and to send outsiders home but so far nothing has
been done.
Reports from the Christian town of Tentena via telephone on Friday, 14
December, revealed that the situation is tense but peaceful as Christians
anxiously wait to see what will happen with the coming of the Muslim
holiday "Idul Fitri" on Sunday, 16 December. Will the sixty-three thousand
people of the Tentena area be attacked by Muslim Jihad warriors on Idul
Fitri? Will they be able to celebrate Christmas without being attacked?
Pray for those who will celebrate Christmas without a home or a church
building, for those who will wear the clothes that they were wearing when
they escaped from their homes and their villages. Pray that they will have
food to eat, medicine to treat the sick and wounded. Pray that they will
have fuel to cook their meals.
Pray that they will enjoy the glory of the Lord as did the shepherds on the
night that Christ Jesus was born. May the Christians of Poso rejoice and
glorify the Lord as did the shepherds that night so long ago. May the
Christians of Poso rejoice even though their present circumstances bring
them to tears. Open the eyes of their hearts to see the greatness of their
inheritance in Christ.
Pray that advocates for the Christians of Poso, Ambon and all of
Indonesia will cry out unto the Lord on their behalf.
Sincerely,
Ann Buwalda
Jubilee Campaign USA
jubilee@jubileecampaign.org
http://www.jubileecampaign.org
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