'Laskar Jihad' to leave training camp on Sunday

'Laskar Jihad' to leave training camp on Sunday

BOGOR (JP): Laskar Jihad (Jihad Force) members surrendered
their weapons on Friday and vowed to vacate their military-style
training camp at the Munjul village of Kayumanis in Tanah Sareal
District here on Sunday.

A total of 487 sharp weapons, including sickles and machetes,
were handed over to the police at about 5 a.m. on Friday,
following an overnight agreement between Bogor Regional Police
chief Col. Edi Darnadi and Jihad Force commander Jaffar Umar
Thalib.

The weapons were handed over by the Jihad Force's chief of
security, Hendro Tri Setiyono.

"Members of Laskar Jihad Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah said they
would leave the training compound in some 40 buses on Sunday at
10 a.m. and return to their respective hometowns," Bogor Regional
Police chief of detectives Capt. Budi Prasetyo said on Friday.

Jihad Force members have been taking part in the military-
style training in the area since April 6.

As many as 3,150 Muslim youths took part in the training,
which was organized on a plot of land in Tanah Sareal district
belonging to the Al Irsad Foundation chaired by Jaffar Hilal
Thalib.

Locals, however, have expressed fear over the group's
activities and complained that the Jihad Force had harmed the
environment by using the nearby Cibadak River for sanitation and
cutting trees without permission.

"But it is clear that they are now no longer in possession of
weapons so they are considered harmless.

"The training compound will be cleared by the Bogor Regional
Police. They (Jihad Force members) said they needed some time to
pack," Budi said.

However, he said the Police would continue to monitor site
until the group left the area on Sunday.

The group members were reportedly ready to leave the compound
on Friday because of a water shortage, and relocate to its other
training camp in Kampung Kebon Kacang in Cileungsi, Bogor
regency. However, Jaffar Hilal Thalib asked the group to remain
in the camp until further arrangements could be made.

The camp in Munjul village is the group's largest training
ground, hosting thousands of so-called jihad volunteers.

"But we suspect the group members had been forced into joining
because one of them managed to flee the Munjul training camp
earlier," Budi said, declining to give details.

As of Friday, there was still some activity at the Munjul
training camp, but group members refused to speak with locals or
outsiders.

The Jihad Force earlier announced the volunteers would leave
for Maluku on April 23 to aid Muslims affected by communal
clashes in the province.

The group has voiced its dissatisfaction with President
Abdurrahman Wahid's handling of the Maluku conflict, accusing him
of favoring the Christian minority.

The groups chairman, Ayip Syarifuddin, earlier said there were
plans to deploy 10,000 volunteers to Maluku. (21/edt)