MUI denounces terrorist attacks

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Four days after the JW Marriott Hotel bombing here, the Indonesia Ulemas Council (MUI), the highest Muslim authority in the country condemned the JW Marriott Jakarta Hotel bombing.

The highest Muslim authority in the country, however, warns security officials and the media against tarnishing the image of Islam in addressing the issue.

The condemnation came on Saturday, four days after the bombing that killed 10 people and injured 149 others. Police have said that the bombing has a possible link with Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), a militant organization on the United Nations' terrorists list.

MUI said that "uncivilized acts like the bombing is against religious morals, particularly as Islam orders its followers to respect humanity, the lives of other people and forbids any destructive acts."

The press conference was held after a meeting between MUI and 37 Muslim organizations in Jakarta over the issue.

MUI deputy chairmen Umar Shihab, Amidhan, MUI deputy chairman Mu'arif Amin and MUI secretary-general Dien Syamsuddin were present at the press conference, while MUI chairman Sahal Mahfud, a noted ulema of Nahdlatul Ulama in Central Java, was not.

Nahdlatul Ulama is the biggest Muslim organization in the country with some 40 million followers. It is considered a moderate Muslim organization.

"We call on the authorities to investigate the case comprehensively and accurately. But we also demand the authorities to prevent a possible deviation in reporting the investigation that might tarnish the image of Islam," MUI deputy chairman Umar Shihab said.

Dien called on security officials and the media to stop using the term JI because Jamaah Islamiyah means Islamic Community, which is perceived to have a good meaning.

"Why don't they use another term? They use the term 'oknum' for officers who commit crimes, instead of police or government officers," he said, referring to the common practice of the authorities.

The recurrent use of the term Jamaah Islamiyah in connection with terrorism would only give a "bad image to Islam", Dien said.

Dien, also a top official of Muhammadiyah, the second biggest Muslim organization in the country, said that the use of the terminology of JI "was invented by foreigners and should not be emulated here."

"If certain Muslims indeed use the term for negative purposes, it is certainly not justified," he said, referring to the founders and members of JI.

However, Umar said that the authorities must continue their work to investigate the case as well as prosecute those who committed and masterminded the bombing, and other bombing cases in the country.

"The move is a must to prevent those people being made into scapegoats in the case due to uncertainty and allegations," he said.

Responding to comments that MUI's response to the Marriott bombing was relatively late, Umar said that several MUI officials had issued personal statements soon after the bombing.

"Some of us have also visited the victims in hospitals," he said.

Both Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama held a joint press conference to make their stance known on Wednesday, a day after the bombing.

Mu'arif argued that it was not easy to gather some 37 mass organizations under MUI.

"It takes time, we could only do it now," he said.

MUI supervises Muslim organizations in Indonesia, regardless of their views on Islam.