MUI denounces terrorist attacks

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.