300 extremists await trial in Central Java<\/p>\n
TEGAL, Central Java (JP): The Commander of the Diponegoro
\nmilitary command, Maj. Gen. M. Yusuf Kartanegara, said yesterday
\nthat some 300 extremists in the province have been arrested for
\nvarious subversive activities.<\/p>\n
The arrests were made in the regencies of Banyumas,
\nPurwokerto, Purbalingga, Cilacap, Tegal, Brebes, Pekalongan,
\nBatang and Pemalang.<\/p>\n
He did not specify at what time the arrests were made.<\/p>\n
Yusuf said the extremists used tactics similar to that of the
\nIndonesian Communist Party (PKI) and operated under the guise of
\nreligious activity. They were preying on weak-minded Moslems,
\nluring them to establish an Indonesian Islamic state, he said.<\/p>\n
Yusuf said five of the extremists -- Heru Antono, Dwi Atmoko,
\nPonidi, Teguh Mulyaningsih and Sri Purwanti -- all arrested in
\nthe Banjarnegara regency, will be brought to trial as soon as
\npossible.<\/p>\n
He said that they had traveled the province pretending to be
\nclothing traders, while all the time spreading their teachings
\nand recruiting new members from unsuspecting buyers.<\/p>\n
Yusuf noted that such a tactic is a common PKI strategy to
\nfind sympathizers and quietly disseminate their ideology.<\/p>\n
He also said the extremists are unrelenting in their attempts
\nto spread their misguided beliefs, which are against the state
\nPancasila ideology and the 1945 Constitution. So far, however,
\nthe extremists have not been successful in \"disrupting
\nstability\", he said.<\/p>\n
The PKI has been outlawed in Indonesia since a failed
\ncommunist coup attempt in 1965.<\/p>\n
The government maintains a strong awareness of communist
\nactivities in Indonesia and contends that despite the demise of
\nthe PKI 30 years ago, it remains a latent force which could at
\nanytime destabilize the country.<\/p>\n
\"My aim is to redirect them so they can return to the right
\npath,\" Yusuf said of the five about to be tried. (wah\/mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/300-extremists-await-trial-in-central-java-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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