MMI national congress to discuss terrorism
Sri Wahyuni and Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta, Central Java
The hard-line Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) led by terror suspect Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, started its three-day national congress here on Sunday to reaffirm its "peaceful" fight for the implementation of Islamic law, or sharia, in the country.
The MMI has included terrorism issues in its second congress, particularly because the group had been linked several times to regional terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI). Ba'asyir was elected as MMI chairman at its first congress in 2000.
According to MMI executive chairman Irfan S. Awwas, the congress was also being held in response to speculations that the group would disband, as did hard-line group Laskar Jihad last year after the Bali bombing.
"We will never do that (disband). We are committed to struggling for the application of sharia in Indonesia through legal, constitutional means. We won't stray from that goal," Irfan said after the opening of the congress.
Some 3,000 people, including women and children, attended the opening ceremony at Surakarta's Manahan Stadium on Jl. Adisucipto. The main agenda of the opening ceremony was the presentation of speeches from MMI leaders and guest speakers.
Speakers included Huesin Umar from the Islamic Missionary Council (DDI) and Mahendradatta, who is Ba'asyir's legal counsel.
Although Ba'asyir failed to gain permission from security authorities to attend the congress, his speech was read out at the opening of the congress, in which he called on MMI members to continue their fight for the application of sharia in Indonesia.
Ba'asyir is currently being tried for several offenses against the state, including treason and his alleged involvement in plotting the assassination of Megawati while she was still vice president.
The three-day congress, which is to be attended by about 1,200 participants, will be held at Haj Boarding House in Donohudan, near the Adi Sumarmo International Airport.
Some 150 women MMI members were scheduled to hold a separate meeting to discuss the role of Muslim women in upholding sharia in Indonesia.
Fauzan Al Anshari, a member of the steering committee, said the congress would also discuss the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims, which had been marred by conflicts in several areas.
Nevertheless, he said, the issue that would attract participants' attention most would be terrorism.
"We see that it is very important for the Mujahidin Council to take a clear stance on terrorism, as we are often referred (a terrorist group), especially because our chairman Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir has been named a suspected JI leader," Fauzan said.
Speaking separately to The Jakarta Post, Irfan said the MMI was completely different from JI, as his organization was "struggling for the peaceful application of sharia".
"The Mujahidin Council has never expressed its goal through violent and anarchical ways. We will only do it through a way that is in accordance with Islamic teachings. Terrorists are not identical to Islam, and terrorism is not an Islamic teaching," he said.
He also noted that the congress was open to everyone, even state intelligence agents.
The police have deployed 580 personnel to secure the congress. In addition, MMI has deployed some 500 members of its Laskar Mujahidin force to assist the police. The Laskar Mujahidin is MMI's paramilitary wing.