NU defends hard-line groups

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi said on Tuesday that the United States should not worry about a number of Muslim hard- line groups here as "they are not part of international terrorism but only promoting domestic radicalism."

"In my opinion, these hard-line groups have been promoting radicalism at the domestic level for the sake of certain (political) interests. They do not do so for the sake of Islamic principles.

"If the man behind the radicalism no longer needs these groups, I believe they will become powerless," Hasyim told The Jakarta Post at his offices.

He doubted these hard-line groups were capable of establishing an international network, considering that "they have been set up to serve temporary interests."

Hasyim was responding to a planned visit by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell early next month, whose itinerary includes a meeting with leaders of mainstream Islamic organizations here.

It was reported that the U.S. would want assurances that the radical organizations were not linked with international terrorist networks.

There are also signs that Washington may be ready to lift the embargo on military assistance to Indonesia, a move that may be announced during Powell's visit.

"Not every hard-line group can be categorized as terrorist as some of them have also been promoting their principles legitimately," Hasyim said.

Separately, Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin warned that any plan to lift the military embargo against Indonesian should not violate the country's sovereignty.

Sjafrie said that should the U.S. decide to lift the embargo imposed on Indonesia since 1999, "it should not come to call on the Indonesian government to crack down on hard-line Muslim groups here.

"The embargo imposed by the U.S. has made us (the TNI) weak due to a lack of military equipment. And since the U.S. has an interest in maintaining security in the Asia Pacific region, they should consider helping us.

"But the U.S. should not insist on lifting the embargo in an attempt to control the TNI so that they can ask us to crack down on the hard-line groups," Sjafrie said.

Following the 1999 post-ballot violence in East Timor, the U.S. has imposed an embargo against the TNI over alleged gross human rights violations.

With nearly 90 percent of the population being Muslim, Indonesia is considered a potential hotbed for international terrorism.