Military-style training probed<\/p>\n
Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang<\/p>\n
The police said they would continue their investigation into a
\nmilitary-style training program allegedly carried out by a hard-
\nline group at a tourist resort in Central Java, although the
\nactivity has ceased.<\/p>\n
Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Chaerul Rasyid said that
\na thorough investigation of the training which lasted for several
\nweeks was needed to prevent disturbances to local security and
\npolitical stability.<\/p>\n
\"Although they (training participants) have already left, we
\nhave not identified the goal of the training. We need to know
\nwhether it was intended for state defense or other purposes. If
\nit was conducted for state defense, there is no problem. But if
\nit was intended for other purposes that could cause unrest among
\nthe locals, we will take action. Most importantly, we have given
\na preliminary warning,\" Chaerul said here on Monday.<\/p>\n
The military-style training that took place in a forest and
\nplantation areas in Kopeng, near Salatiga, and involved 24
\ncivilians was detected by intelligence officers from the National
\nPolice a few days ago. The training activities were allegedly
\norganized by the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) which is
\nchaired by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who was recently sentenced to four
\nyears in prison for his link to the Bali and JW Marriott Hotel
\nbombings in 2002 and 2003 respectively.<\/p>\n
Chaerul said that the police would be conducting a
\ncomprehensive inquiry into who were involved in the training and
\nwhat the purpose of the training was.<\/p>\n
He said that the training should be open to the public if it
\nwas indeed conducted for a good purpose, and should not have been
\nheld secretly because it had caused confusion and disturbance
\namong locals.<\/p>\n
MMI quickly denied the allegation, saying it had no military-
\nstyle trainings since it had been concentrating on sending
\nvolunteers to tsunami-devastated Aceh.<\/p>\n
If there are military-style training activities in the
\nmountainous area they were not conducted by MMI, said Wahyudin,
\nan executive of MMI.<\/p>\n
He added MMI was focusing on sending volunteers to Aceh and,
\nso far, it had deployed 120 volunteers to help with
\nrehabilitation work in the province.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-style-training-probed-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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