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