Ulema to publish books on jihad

JAKARTA: Chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Hasyim Muzadi urged Muslim organizations to publish books on the true concept of jihad (holy war) in Islam to counter militant ideas spread by terrorists.

"The meaning of the concept in their books is incorrect and not precise," he said on Tuesday, referring to several books on jihad published by terrorists including Imam Samudra (now on death row for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings), whose book has been very popular here and has been reprinted three times according to some reports.

He said that the government must quickly ban such books which carry militant ideas based on the wrong concept of jihad.

The country's ulema including those from NU agreed last week to unite in fighting militant ideas promoted by terrorists in a country which has been hit by a series of terrorist attacks including the recent Oct. 1 bombings on Bali where three suicide bombers detonated bombs in three restaurants, killing 20 people. -- Antara