West Java Muslim school accused of militancy by MUI

Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Top Muslim authorities have linked the Al-Zaytun Islamic boarding school to an outlawed militant movement that violently struggled for the establishment of an Indonesian Islamic State (NII) during the post-colonial period from 1949 to 1962.

The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) said on Wednesday that the links were uncovered after almost two years of investigation into the controversial pesantren in the West Java town of Indramayu.

"There is a strong indication that Al-Zaytun is historically connected with the ninth regional military command (KW9) of Darul Islam that campaigned for NII," MUI secretary general Dien Syamsuddin told The Jakarta Post.

"The close connections are particularly clear from the backgrounds of its top leader A.S. Panji Gumilang and several others at the pesantren, who were involved in NII," he added.

Dien said Darul Islam had a policy of "by any means necessary", which included things not permitted under Islamic law, for its followers to raise funds for its struggle.

The outlawed Islamic movement also advocated the "leadership ideology", under which its students must respect their religious teachers more than their parents, he added.

But Dien said the investigative team of MUI did not find evidence that Al-Zaytun had adopted the deviant principles of Darul Islam in its teachings.

Ma'ruf Amin, who led the inquiry team, was quoted by Antara as telling a news conference earlier on Wednesday that Darul Islam spread heretical teachings of Islam and considered Muslims and others outside its group as "infidels".

Parents and others have alleged that Al-Zaytun serves as the ninth regional military command of Darul Islam led by Sekarmaji Marijan Kartosuwiryo.

The school has also been accused of accepting funds from former presidents Soeharto and B.J. Habibie, their families and former allies, as well as other financial sources at home and overseas linked to extremist Muslim groups.

A former Darul Islam follower told the Post that Panji Gumilang was one of the movement's senior leaders.

Panji, who also chairs the alumni association of Jakarta's Syarif Hidatullah State Islamic University (UIN), has flatly dismissed All the accusations as "rubbish".

Panji also refused to reveal details about his life as well as his political and social activities before establishing Al- Zaytun.

Dien further said the investigative team also failed to track down and uncover the funding sources of the immensely wealthy Islamic boarding school.

Panji admitted that Al-Zaytun received contributions from foreign sources, but said this made up less than 1 percent of the total funding.

Most of the contributions were given by domestic donors, he said last year, refusing to be more specific.

Ma'ruf said the main problem with the school, home to more than 7,000 students, surfaced following the alleged links of Panji and its 20 other founders with NII.

Furthermore, regional executives at the school in charge of student recruitment are also believed to have close links with the movement, Ma'ruf added.

However, he admitted the team was never received by Panji to clarify the accusations. Ma'ruf did not elaborate further.

Dien said the MUI is considering summoning the school's leaders to verify the team's findings.

The council urged relevant authorities to take necessary action to deal with the school to prevent anything untoward from happening.