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Down Under | ||
Downer to push for JI ban | ||
2005-10-05 | ||
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will urge Jakarta to ban Jemaah Islamiah (JI) when he travels to Indonesia next week but warns Australia cannot force its will on other nations. The Government is under pressure to convince Indonesia to outlaw the terrorist group thought to be responsible for the weekend bombings in Bali, which killed 22 people including up to four Australians. But there are signs Australia's demands may fall on deaf ears.
As Australians recover from the traumatic weekend events, calls are growing for the Government to force Indonesia to take action on JI. Prime Minister John Howard reiterated that banning JI was not the be all and end all of tackling terrorism in Indonesia. But he believes tolerating the group sends the wrong message to the majority moderate Indonesian people. "While ever a country tolerates as a legal organisation, as body that is clearly involved in terrorist acts, it is sending the wrong signal to those who might listen to the propaganda of those organisations," Mr Howard told Macquarie Radio. Mr Howard and Mr Downer both admit that for all Australia's representations, it is ultimately a decision for Indonesia's legal system. | ||
Posted by:Oztralian [AKA] God Save The World |