Obscure Islamist group on Batam recruiting members

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

Around 1,000 people from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, calling themselves Jamaah Usaha Dakwah or preaching community, arrived here on Saturday for a three-day gathering amid growing concerns over radicalism and the spread of militant ideas.

The little-known group, all of whom were men, were dressed in qamish (Arab Muslim coat) and turban and held wooden sticks. They were seen walking around the Baiturrahman mosque in Sekupang district in Batam on Sunday.

Although it is unclear when exactly the group was established, it is public knowledge that top terrorist suspect Omar al-Farouq, an alleged senior leader of al-Qaeda terror network, who in July escaped from a U.S. maximum-security prison in Afghanistan, had joined the group. Al-Farouq was arrested in Bogor, West Java, three years ago, but was immediately handed over to the U.S.

Head of the board of patrons of Jamaah Usaha Dakwah, Zuher, told The Jakarta Post that the community was merely spreading the true teachings of Islam to its members.

He was reluctant to provide details about the group.

Zuher also refused to comment on terrorist attacks conducted by militants such as Azahari bin Husin, Noordin M. Top and Amrozi.

"If you want to know more about us, leave your family and come and join us for three days and you shall understand what we're doing," Zuher said.

He claimed that high-ranking police and intelligence officers from Riau Islands joined the three-day gathering.

The event was mostly filled with religious discourses from the clerics and discussion between the group members on various matters.

A member of the group, Haris, explained that it was fairly easy to join the community. Those who wished to join are given an orientation about Islam for three days and if they succeed they can proceed to the next level not only for three days but 40 days or four months or even for a life time.

"I have joined it for 40 days, and I even had to go to Thailand. I won't be able to come along again now because I can't abandon my family all the time," Haris said.

He admitted that he once shook hands with al-Farouq in a gathering held in Tanjung Pinang before he was wanted by the police.

The government is working hand-in-hand with the country's moderate Muslim leaders to campaign against the spread of militant ideas by terrorists under the banner of Islam.