No international terrorist link in Indonesia: MUI

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) denied on Thursday international media reports that various Islamic organizations in Indonesia had become part of global terrorist networks.

"The media reports are slanderous and I know they have no evidence to back their allegations," MUI chairman Nazri Adlani said in Canberra, as quoted by Antara.

Nazri, who is also a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and part of a delegation of MPR leaders currently visiting Australia. Included in the entourage is MPR Speaker Amien Rais.

Nazri said that Indonesian Islamic organizations focus on non- political activities.

"We (Muslims in Indonesia) have also become a target of terrorism. How can people accuse us of being part of the terrorism network?" he said

Nasri did not specify how Indonesian Muslims had been victimized by terrorism.

The latest terrorist attack happened last month when a bomb exploded at Atrium Plaza in Central Jakarta. Police arrested a Malaysian national who was badly injured in the incident. Last week, police reported they had arrested another two Malaysians whom they said were involved in previous attacks on churches in Jakarta.

Nasri called on Muslims in Indonesia to refrain from being provoked by reports hostile toward them.

"Don't be angered easily when hearing news that Muslims in other parts of the world are being attacked. If we resort to violence, it will add credence to their notion that we are part of the international terrorist networks," he said.