ASEAN to restrict Al Arqam

ASEAN to restrict Al Arqam

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei agreed yesterday at Malaysia's prodding to bar Ashaari Muhammad, leader of a Malaysian-based Islamic sect, from entering their shores but made no common stand to ban the group, officials said.

Ashaari -- whose Al Arqam movement has triggered security concerns in Southeast Asia -- was declared persona non grata because his presence "could threaten the peace and cause unrest," according to a six-page communique issued after talks among ministers in charge of Islamic affairs of the four countries.

The talks, also attended by senior Islamic officials of Thailand and the Philippines, were held in Malaysia's northern Langkawi island resort as an annual affair under the auspices of the ASEAN.

"The ministers also expressed their concern over the negative effects of the deviationist teachings (of Al Arqam) on the unity and solidarity of the ummah (Moslem world)," the statement said.

However, the ministers could not achieve a consensus on imposing a blanket ban on Al Arqam in the four countries because of "differing laws and procedures governing religious freedom," said an official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"What is important is that the four ministers have already agreed that Al Arqam propagates deviationist teachings and continuous efforts would be made to monitor them so that it does not endanger public security," said the official.

Brunei is the only country that has banned Al Arqam.

Malaysia's powerful council of Islamic elders was preparing to issue a fatwa (religious ruling) banning Al Arqam today, officials said, adding that they were confident it would set the pace for similar pronouncements in the other three countries.

Al Arqam, which began as a study group among Moslem scholars in Kuala Lumpur in 1968, has blossomed into a powerful and wealthy missionary group with branches in 15 countries under its elusive self-styled leader Ashaari Muhammad.

Suicide squad

The movement -- reported to have 100,000 followers and sympathizers in Malaysia alone and several thousand overseas -- came under close scrutiny only recently, after Kuala Lumpur accused it of training a suicide squad to defend its controversial beliefs.

Al Arqam and Thailand, where Malaysia says the squad was partially trained, have denied the charges.

The Malaysian Islamic ulema has charged that the teachings, propagated by 57-year-old Ashaari, smack of mysticism and deviate from Islamic scriptures.

The state-run Islamic center says it has video evidence of Ashaari claiming to have had dialogues with the Prophet Muhammad, a claim which Ashaari himself does not deny.

Al Arqam officials in Kuala Lumpur said Ashaari had flown last week to Jordan from Thailand where he had been on a self-imposed exile since 1988.

"Abuya (father of all, as Ashaari is known among his followers) is monitoring everything which is going on in this part of the world and has been keeping in close touch with us," said Rodhi Daud, Al Arqam's senior liaison officer.