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.