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| Terror Networks |
| Major Changes within Jemaah Islamiyah Alleged |
| 2007-06-19 |
| Based on initial interrogations of top Jemaah Islamiyah members who were captured over the past week, the Indonesian police are now painting a picture of a terrorist organization attempting to consolidate in the face of heavy attrition. According to the police, JI has now done away with its earlier region-wide mantiqi ("regional command") structure. Previously, JI had four mantiqi covering large portions of Southeast Asia and Australia. At its peak (prior to late 2002), each mantiqi consisted of up to a dozen wakilah, and each wakilah were comprised of several fiah, or cells. Overseeing all this was a markaz, a small headquarters consisting of top JI members. It is now understood that JI still recognizes a markaz. But under the markaz, JI now divides itself into four ishoba which only cover the Indonesian island of Java. These ishoba are named after historical figures in Islam. Ishoba I, based in Solo (Central Java), is named Zaid bin Haritsah, who was the adopted son of the Prophet Mohammad and one of Islam's first military leaders. The authorities have not confirmed who heads this ishoba. Ishoba II, based in Semarang (Central Java), was headed by Sarwo Edi, who was wounded and captured in Jogjakarta this past March. This ishoba is named after Jafar bin Abu Thalib, the son of Mohammad's uncle and one of the first converts to Islam. Ishoba III, based in Surabaya (East JavA), was headed by Kholis, who was also captured this past March. According to a police statement, this ishoba is named Abdullah bin Roah (this transliterated spelling is probably incorrect, as it does not appear to correspond to any prominent figure in Islam). Ishoba IV, based in Jakarta, is named Khalid bin Walid, who was a famous general during the Muslim conquests of the Seventh Century. The police are still uncertain who heads this ishoba. The authorities arew still not certain how the JI presence in provinces outside of Java fits into the new ishoba structure. The police also insist that there are several prominent JI members that have yet to be captured, and they are not reducing their vigilance after this week's arrests. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #2 Wipe out.... yes, that would be a major change within Jemaah Islamiyah. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-06-19 13:42 |
| #1 Interesting that this is a "police" thing and not a "military" thing. When I lived in Indonesia (Borneo - Kalimantan Timur), the main military CI corps was in Kalimantan Timur since that is where the insurgent ethnic Chinese rebels were either relocated or escaped to during the "Year of Living Dangerously". They were restrained and isolated by crack army CI troops. Now, why aren't these forces being re-deployed back to Java to contain and wipe out the Ishoba? |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-06-19 10:05 |