'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)