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July 3, 2006
Indonesia: Islamist Preacher Urges Muslims To Fight Israel
The Islamist preacher Abu Bakar Bashir has only recently been released from jail, after being imprisoned for giving his consent to the attacks on Bali, which took place on October 12, 2002, killing 202 people, including 88 Australian tourists. The 68-year old preacher is the "spiritual leader" of terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, which seeks to establish a pan-Islamic state in southeast Asia.
The preacher returned to the Islamic seminary or pesantren which he had co-founded in the 1970s, the Al Mukmin or Ngruki in Solo, about 250 miles east of Jakarta. At least thirty known Islamist terrorists have graduated from this school. Bashir's release caused tension between Australia and Indonesia, especially when he called for Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard, to convert to Islam, and began calling for sharia law to be enforced in Indonesia.
Last weekend, he reiterated his call for sharia to be imposed, telling a meeting (pictured) of the MMI (Indonesian Mujahideen Council), which was attended by thousands: "Sharia is a foregone conclusion, we can't trade it with anything, including pluralism. We can bargain about mundane affairs but not sharia."
Yesterday, states AKI, while addressing the Islamist Crescent Star Party, he called Israel the "enemy of Allah", and said that for this reason, Indonesia should send "holy warriors" to the nation to fight. The meeting took place in Jakarta, the capital, and was attended by hundreds.
Also yesterday, thousands of Muslims protested against Israel in the capital, venting their frustrations outside the United States Embassy. These individuals ere from the Islamist Prosperous Party or PKS. They called for the release of the 60 Hamas politicians recently arrested by Israel, in retaliation for Hamas' killing of a Jewish settler, Eliahu Asheri, and the kidnap of a 19 year old soldier, Corporal Gilad Shilat, who is held in Gaza.
We have been lax in our coverage of this affair because it has been adequately dealt with in the MSM (mainstream media).
After the demonstrations yesterday at the US Embassy, there were further protests outside the offices of the UN mission in Jakarta.
Today's Jakarta Post states: "His (Bashir's) release from prison last month raised concerns that he would energize Indonesia's small, Islamic radical fringe by making impassioned speeches at rallies and mosques."
Last weekend, Bashir urged members of the MMI to pressure local authorities across Indonesia to continue with their programs of introducing sharia-based bylaws, even though they are unconstitutional.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 3, 2006 8:05 AM
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