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Indonesia suddenly becomes fluid...
Islamic groups in Indonesia have decided to play a larger political role in the country in order to limit accusations against Islam in Indonesia, sources close to the Indonesian Mujahideen Council (MMI) told IslamOnline. I haven't seen that one before. Sounds like an analog to the MMA in Pakland... The source, known as âthe Sheikhâ, said the Islamic groups will follow the steps of the Laskar Jihad or the Jihad Force (JF) that disbanded itself on Wednesday last week, with several members joining its leader in forming Meaning they're going to get out of the overt terror business for awhile and into the subversion business... The Sheikh, a scientist close to detained Islamic leader Abu Bakar Basyir - who is the chairman of the MMI - told IslamOnline that three top politicians in the country has activated a mechanism that would bring the Muslim groups to abandon what he called âextreme acts, such as flag burning or the burning of American or Jewish targets in this country.â That would include Mr Vice President and Mr Speaker, and Mr Vice Speaker, I'd guess... He added that it was high time Islam played a greater political role and urged the Muslim parties and groups to ally into one coalition of Islamic parties and movements in order to face the 2004 general and presidential elections. Like they did in Pakland... The Sheikh said Basyir knew he would be arrested after the Bali blasts, adding that the aging leader warned other Islamic groups that âthe Indonesian government was under intense pressure to arrest popular and outspoken Islamic radicals and so called extremists in order to please the rest of the world that Indonesia is doing the right thing in the war against terror... Basyir now risks being sent to the US... for questioning and jailing since the directive to arrest him illico presto came from Washington and was given to the investigators who went to visit Omar Al-Faruq, the CIA agent captured and sent back to the US in June this year,â the Sheikh added. The "CIA agent" story already seems to be the party line. I wonder if anybody's buying it in Indonesia? âRemember, the U.S. has linked Basyir to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and has also said he was high on the list of suspected terrorists, right on top of the name of Osama Bin Laden,â the Sheikh said. Normally, they do things like that when they have evidence. Otherwise we tend not to hear about preachers in He dismissed the claims by the Indonesian government that there will be a backlash by local extremist groups after the arrest of Basyir. Does that mean they've written him off? Or is he really "sick," maybe from the effects of The Black Pill. If so, wonder if it was volunatarily administered? Of course, if he kicks it, our side can claim that God struck him dead for his sins. That should play well among the rubes... Immediately after the bombing the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) saw its leader Habib Rizieq Shihab detained at police headquarters. The governmentâs latest move is the arrest of Abu Bakar Basyir. Other leaders close to Basyir, the JF and the FPI are also the target of arrest under the grounds that they cooperated with their leaders to create chaos and treason in Indonesia. That does represent a turnaround... Informed sources say there is a rift in the regime of Megawati Sukarnoputri and that both the speaker of the National Assembly (MPR) and the Vice President Hamza Haz who are considered strong Islamic elements in the government, could be targets too. That would be the place to start, wouldn't it? The Sheikh who lives outside Indonesia currently, said he was just a close friend of Basyir during school days and never joined any organizations in his life. âI lead a simple life, and I do not condone bombings, however I do not believe Basyir was involved in any of the extremists activities in this country,â he said. "Nope. Nope. I'm just a simple cleric. He's just a simple cleric, too. We're both simple..." Basyir want to prove to the Indonesian government that he has nothing to do with violence in Indonesia and that such violence will continue while he is being detained because the authorities are targeting the wrong group in the fight against terrorism. Or because his gunnies demand he be sprung... Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-10-20 |
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