Sweeping classified as terrorism?

JAKARTA: All movements or actions that incite unrest and chaos among the people and thereby damage the country's image can be categorized as terrorism, head of State Intelligence Body (BIN) A.M. Hendropriyono said on Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the opening of the PDI Perjuangan leadership meeting at Hotel Borobudur in Central Jakarta, Hendropriyono asserted that the plan of certain Muslim groups to search for and expel Americans and citizens from allied countries was against the law.

"Such actions are irresponsible. They (the radical Muslim groups) are not the official law enforcers. Sweeping is a police duty," he said as quoted by Metro TV.

"Now we have to deal with terrorism and we have to stop it. Anarchy is a form of terrorism and therefore any action that incites hysteria among the people, triggers chaos and thereby tarnishing the country's image can be categorized as (a form of) terrorism," the retired three-star general said.

U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Robert S. Gelbard has strongly criticized the police for failing to stop radical Muslim groups which threaten to hunt down Americans. -- JP