Militant groups defy govt ban on holy war

Militant groups defy govt ban on holy war

Abu Hanifah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite the government's recent ban, the Islamic Youth Group
(GPI) will go ahead with its plan to deploy its volunteers to
Afghanistan to fight against the U.S. military machine, as
Washington's ultimatum to the Taliban regime in Kabul drew closer
to its deadline, its chairman said on Friday.

"We are staying with our plan (to send jihad fighters). We'll
go ahead and nothing can prevent us from doing so," Suaib Didu
told The Jakarta Post.

"We are not violating any ruling because not a single law
regulates such a matter. It's just the government's concern about
its citizens' safety," he said.

The government issued a strict ban on Thursday against
Indonesians planning to go to Afghanistan in response to several
Muslim organizations' pledge to declare a holy war against the
United States if Afghanistan was attacked, and earlier reported
that it was against Indonesian law to fight in another nation's
army, and would carry punishment of revocation of citizenship.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono did, however say that any war against
international terrorism should be led by the United Nations.

"The government has an obligation to protect its citizens,"
Susilo said of the ban against volunteers taking part in the
anticipated war.

"The act of physically taking part in a foreign war is not
acceptable," he said, adding that the government would use
persuasive measures to discourage Indonesians from going to
Afghanistan.

In Medan, North Sumatra, hundreds of students staged protests
at the local legislative council to oppose the government's ban.

"We declare a holy war, not for (the benefit of) Osama bin
Laden but to defend Islam," one of the students said in his
speech as reported by Antara.

Suaib disclosed that GPI had already sent its preliminary team
to prepare for the deployment of the volunteers to Afghanistan.

"We have sent at least 20 people to Afghanistan. They departed
from this center in a number of groups, who went at different
times," Suaib said without elaboration.

He explained that these people are required to monitor the
current situation developing in Afghanistan, coordinate with
local liaison officials and prepare for the deployment.

"They have been in constant communication with us here," Suaib
claimed.

According to Suaib, GPI claims at least 22,800 members from
across the Indonesia. The group claims that at least 625 people
have registered themselves to go to Afghanistan as a reaction to
an expected U.S./NATO response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
reportedly carried out by Islamic militants.

All 625 GPI volunteers claimed they understood the potential
consequences, including death, but still expressed their
willingness to declare jihad and assist the Afghans, Suaib said.

In addition to their jihad warrior deployment plan, Suaib also
said that members of GPI will maintain their threat to search for
and intimidate American residents of Indonesia if Afghanistan is
attacked by the U.S.

In a bizarre effort to prepare the volunteers, each applicant,
registering to go to Afghanistan was questioned by a GPI member
so they would clearly understand their own religious beliefs. The
interviewer also ordered them to read the Koran, While other
members attempted to disrupt their concentration with explosions
behind or beside them.

"It's to test their braveness during the war. The explosions
are supposed to be gun shots in battle," claimed a GPI guard
manning the interview room door. In the same room, a number of
volunteers were seen practicing martial arts.

Separately, another radical Muslim group leader also
reiterated his defiance against the government's ban on the
search for and intimidation of civilian American residents of
Indonesia and tourists.

"Such a ban is the manifestation of the government's ignorant
and unwise stance. The anti-U.S. protests should be regarded as
the people's will and should be accommodated by the government as
an input to show its clear stance to disagree with the U.S. plan
to attack Afghanistan," chairman of Islam Defender Front (FPI)
Muhammad Ridzieq Shihab told the Post.