On statement of MUI and NU

On statement of MUI and NU

This is in response to the letter by Iain Shearer (To MUI, NU:
Who are the terrorists? in The Jakarta Post, Oct 4). In my
understanding, what Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and the Indonesian Ulema
Council (MUI) were trying to say was that they strongly condemned
the bombings. And if the bombers were Muslims (who believed that
their action was part of Jihad/holy war), the NU and the MUI
stated that the bombing action was wrong and the bombers'
understanding of Jihad was contrary to Islamic teachings. So the
bombers did not deserve to claim they were Muslims or say their
actions were Jihad.

The NU and the MUI are the biggest Muslim organizations in
Indonesia with millions of followers. So the MUI and the NU are
trying to stop Muslims from thinking that such an action (suicide
bombing) is part of Jihad, although they always have their own
reasons (American invasions, Israel-Palestinian conflicts etc.).
This is very important statement from the NU and the MUI so that
their followers, Indonesian Muslims in general, understand and do
not support such action.

DENIS SAPUTRA, Jakarta