Bali blasts push government to get tough on extremists

Jakarta: The Indonesian government has displayed a tougher stance against militant Muslim groups confirming for the first time that Indonesian citizens are among leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a suspected terrorist organisation in South East Asia, linked to al-Qaeda.

Speaking to the press after a meeting with Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer on Wednesday, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono mentioned the name of Indonesian Abu Bakar Baasyir and Hambali as JI leaders in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.

“Should there be indication that its leaders in Indonesia have been involved in terrorist acts because of their membership in the organisation, then legal measures will be taken against them,” said Mr Yudhoyono (Jakarta Post, 17/10).

Another hard line Muslim group which announced its dissolution on Tuesday, Laskar Jihad, has also withdrawn more than 200 of its militant members from the conflict-torn area of Poso in Central Sulawesi following an earlier withdrawal of hundreds of others from Ambon, Maluku.

The Laskar Jihad had been blamed for perpetrating years of sectarian conflict between Muslims and Christians in both areas.

Meanwhile, Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir failed to show up at the Jakarta’s Police Headquarter on Wednesday for a libel case against Time magazine.

According to national detik.com news (17/10), Mr Baasyir avoided coming to the Headquarters as there were indications that he would be arrested for his alleged involvement with al-Qaeda activities in Indonesia. However, his lawyer stated sickness as the main reason for the failed appearance.

In another development, the Police on Wednesday detained the chairman of a radical religious group Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Habib Rizieq, for the group’s illegal raid and violent acts against nightspots and entertainment centres in Jakarta. Mr Rizieq was questioned as a suspect in recent violent raids by his group on a discotheque and billiard centre in Central Jakarta.

The government is also expected to immediately issue an emergency decree on terrorism due to mounting international pressure.

The move for this decree, however, has been anxiously anticipated as many fear it will also give way to possible abuse of power similar to the last regime’s repressive regulation.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Air Force has denied any involvement of its members in the Bali blast after reports from international media circulated a confession of a former officer who claimed he built the bomb which killed 185 people last Saturday.

According to the Air Force Spokesman Edy Hardjoko, the officer identified as Dedi Masruki has been investigated as a witness with no involvement in the bombing.

Bali hospitals are continuing to treat Indonesian patients.
All injured foreign nationals have been evacuated to Australia.

World Vision supports a project in Bali - "Bala Keselmatan Children's Home". The project was unaffected by the blasts.

by Mira Renata - Communications