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| Southeast Asia |
| Accused Indonesian Cleric Preaches Jihad |
| 2005-05-12 |
| Dressed in flowing brown robe and turban, Abu Jibril raised his fist and promised worshippers in a packed suburban mosque that every coin they donate to overthrow Indonesia's secular government will be repaid hundreds of times over in heaven. "The government no longer looks to Allah, but to America," said the soft-spoken preacher, who argues that only jihad, or holy war, can establish an Islamic state in the 210 million-strong country, home to more Muslims than any other. "Prepare your forces and banish the enemy." Two years after Washington blocked Jibril's assets and declared him a terrorist - the alleged "primary recruiter and second in command" of Southeast Asia's deadliest al-Qaida-linked group, Jemaah Islamiyah - he's back delivering extremist sermons. Indonesian authorities keep Jibril under surveillance, but say they have no evidence he has committed a crime in the country, where he was deported after his release a year ago from prison in Malaysia. Now, he travels, preaches and meets other known extremists and followers. His case presents a dilemma for Indonesia as it tries to balance U.S. demands to further crack down on Islamic terrorists with the need to preserve democratic freedoms ushered in after the 1998 downfall of the dictator Suharto. It also illustrates the difficulties authorities in Southeast Asia and elsewhere face in bringing to court terrorist suspects who have operated outside their countries. In cases against alleged militants, getting admissible evidence across borders has proved difficult. |
| Posted by:Steve |