MUI denounces terrorist attacks<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Four days after the JW Marriott Hotel bombing here, the Indonesia
\nUlemas Council (MUI), the highest Muslim authority in the country
\ncondemned the JW Marriott Jakarta Hotel bombing.<\/p>\n
The highest Muslim authority in the country, however, warns
\nsecurity officials and the media against tarnishing the image of
\nIslam in addressing the issue.<\/p>\n
The condemnation came on Saturday, four days after the bombing
\nthat killed 10 people and injured 149 others. Police have said
\nthat the bombing has a possible link with Jamaah Islamiyah (JI),
\na militant organization on the United Nations' terrorists list.<\/p>\n
MUI said that \"uncivilized acts like the bombing is against
\nreligious morals, particularly as Islam orders its followers to
\nrespect humanity, the lives of other people and forbids any
\ndestructive acts.\"<\/p>\n
The press conference was held after a meeting between MUI and
\n37 Muslim organizations in Jakarta over the issue.<\/p>\n
MUI deputy chairmen Umar Shihab, Amidhan, MUI deputy chairman
\nMu'arif Amin and MUI secretary-general Dien Syamsuddin were
\npresent at the press conference, while MUI chairman Sahal Mahfud,
\na noted ulema of Nahdlatul Ulama in Central Java, was not.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama is the biggest Muslim organization in the
\ncountry with some 40 million followers. It is considered a
\nmoderate Muslim organization.<\/p>\n
\"We call on the authorities to investigate the case
\ncomprehensively and accurately. But we also demand the
\nauthorities to prevent a possible deviation in reporting the
\ninvestigation that might tarnish the image of Islam,\" MUI deputy
\nchairman Umar Shihab said.<\/p>\n
Dien called on security officials and the media to stop using
\nthe term JI because Jamaah Islamiyah means Islamic Community,
\nwhich is perceived to have a good meaning.<\/p>\n
\"Why don't they use another term? They use the term 'oknum'
\nfor officers who commit crimes, instead of police or government
\nofficers,\" he said, referring to the common practice of the
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
The recurrent use of the term Jamaah Islamiyah in connection
\nwith terrorism would only give a \"bad image to Islam\", Dien said.<\/p>\n
Dien, also a top official of Muhammadiyah, the second biggest
\nMuslim organization in the country, said that the use of the
\nterminology of JI \"was invented by foreigners and should not be
\nemulated here.\"<\/p>\n
\"If certain Muslims indeed use the term for negative purposes,
\nit is certainly not justified,\" he said, referring to the
\nfounders and members of JI.<\/p>\n
However, Umar said that the authorities must continue their
\nwork to investigate the case as well as prosecute those who
\ncommitted and masterminded the bombing, and other bombing cases
\nin the country.<\/p>\n
\"The move is a must to prevent those people being made into
\nscapegoats in the case due to uncertainty and allegations,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Responding to comments that MUI's response to the Marriott
\nbombing was relatively late, Umar said that several MUI officials
\nhad issued personal statements soon after the bombing.<\/p>\n
\"Some of us have also visited the victims in hospitals,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Both Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama held a joint press
\nconference to make their stance known on Wednesday, a day after
\nthe bombing.<\/p>\n
Mu'arif argued that it was not easy to gather some 37 mass
\norganizations under MUI.<\/p>\n
\"It takes time, we could only do it now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
MUI supervises Muslim organizations in Indonesia, regardless
\nof their views on Islam.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mui-denounces-terrorist-attacks-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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