Abu Bakar Bashir & The Australian Embassy Bombing...

The pathological hatred that Abu Bakar Bashir (Ba'asyir) has for Australia is legendary. But, from where does it stem? Is it a simple hating of all things Western of which Australia is the closest and most convenient outlet for his vitriol dressed up as representing "real" Islam? Or is there something more there? This post is not really seeking to answer those questions.

Nevertheless, perhaps this time the police can make the charges stick with respect to his involvement in the most recent plotting to bomb foreign embassies in Jakarta, hotels, and assassinate high-ranking Indonesian political figures. The plans were at the "early stages" according to police.

Ba'asyir is the spiritual leader of violent anti-West Jihadis hell-bent on destroying anything that does not conform to his very warped interpretation of Islam and the mission of the Prophet Muhammad. What is more intriguing this time around is that having splintered from Jemaah Islamiyya (Islamiah) it would seem that Indonesians and Indonesian interests have become legitimate targets in his war on everything.

The police case seems to rest on Ba'asyir organising and funding the most recent development of "sleeper" cells based in Aceh. The police have said that they have a strong case. The police have said this before, only to see Teflon Ba'asyir have all the charges fall by the wayside like a piece of bacon from a Teflon pan!

Ba'asyir is not representative of Islam nor is he representative of Indonesian Islam. We should not forget that in analysing what has transpired here and what will transpire in any subsequent investigation, prosecution, trial, and sentencing. Ba'asyir's brand of radical, fundamental, and violent Islam harms the perception of Indonesians as tolerant people. Indonesians recognise this,and it will be Indonesians themselves that will show that there is a groundswell for tolerance...

Now, if the government would just be a little more pro-active on disbanding those goons pretending to be righteous Muslims who call themselves the FPI!

Ho hum...

Noordin M Top -- Dead

Noordin M. Top is dead. His death has been confirmed by Indonesia's National Police Chief, Bambang Hendarso Danuri, today.

Top was killed in a raid on a suspected terrorist hideout in Solo, Central Java. This brings to an end the seven or so years that Top has spent on the run terrorizing and killing innocent Indonesians and foreigners. The identification has been based on fingerprints on file with Malaysian police authorities.

Top was the leader of a small splinter group, Tandzim al-Qaeda, which separated from Jemaah Islamiyah (Jemaah Islamiyya). Apparently, Jemaah Islamiyah had become too soft for Top's liking as JI was moving away from violent jihad. Although, if one listened to the rhetoric and oration of JI's alleged spiritual leader, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, you might wonder if this were true.

It might have been better if Top had been capture alive because he would potential be a well of information that if properly handled might have assisted in averting future terrorist attacks in the months and years ahead. But, by all accounts Top was never likely to be captured without a fight, and it seems he has gone out with a bang, so to speak.

All previous posts on Top can be found here.

I guess now he gets to find out if he gets the promised reward of 72 virgins.

Hambali and the Bali Bombings

Riduan Isamuddin (AKA Hambali) was arrested in Thailand in 2003, and after having been the alleged recipient of some free travel around the world to a number of ghost prisons, ended up in Guantanamo Bay as a guest of the US. This is presumably for the duration of the war on terror. However, since Barack Obama has taken office, it has become a little uncertain as to what lies ahead for some of these detainees.

In any event, there is little doubt that Hambali gave up a fair bit of intelligence under the enhanced interrogation techniques used on him, like waterboarding. Nevertheless, even with the favourable rules of evidence that the military tribunals were going to be working under, the US has some doubts that it could currently make a case against Hambali for the Bali Bombings. Hambali was the head of a Jemaah Islamiyya cell that had operational responsibilities for Malaysia and Singapore. This cell was known as Mantiqi One.

The problem is apparently not a lack of evidence, but rather a lack of evidence that prosecutors would be able to adduce and then use in court to prove Hambali's guilt. Nevertheless, it is generally thought that Hambali ordered the targeting of "soft targets" and was the main man when it came to funding the bombings.

Yet, the US authorities are a lot more confident that they can link him to a string of other bombings in Indonesia. It has only been this year that the Indonesian authorities have been granted access to Hambali for interrogation purposes. This is interesting in itself as the majority of Hambali's alleged crimes have occurred in Indonesia and have predominantly killed Indonesians. The two series of bombings that the authorities believe present as the strongest cases against Hambali are the Marriott bombing of 2003 and the Christmas Eve bombings.

If the military tribunals are reconvened, and the rules are not drastically changed, then it would seem that military prosecutors would seek to see Hambali charged with murder and then pursue the death penalty for him.

Indonesia's Most Wanted Malaysian...

And it is not Siti Nurhaliza!

Is the net tightening on Noordin M. Top?

Is it only a matter of time?

Huge public billboards are certainly one way of ensuring that the man remains in the public eye. The other would be for the man to start blogging, particular where the solitary post on your alleged blog is a claim of responsibility for the most recent bombings in Jakarta at the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton Hotels, and where this solitary entry attracts 293 followers and some 2800 comments.

The CIA Did It -- Abu Bakar Ba'asyir Speaks!

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is never one for a dull moment. Some might like to describe the man as a radical or fundamentalist Muslim committed to the creation of a pan-Asian Caliphate at just about any cost, including providing support for terrorism. I certainly believe that the man is pro-terror, particularly where people are not prepared to accept what he says or come around to his way of thinking or world view.

However, he is also a bit of a conspiracy theorist it seems, and true to form he has determined that the most recent bombings at the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta were the work of the CIA. This is not the first time that the Head of the Jemaah Ashorut Tauhid, which is a rather loose coalition of Islamic groups keen to see a more universal adoption and implementation of Syariah Law, has blamed the CIA for bombings perpetrated in Indonesia.

In the aftermath of the Bali Bombings in 2002, in which he himself was implicated, he maintained that the bombings were not the work of Islam but of the CIA that was looking to discredit Islam. The claim was that based on the devastation at the Paddy Club in Bali that the bomb was a micro-nuclear device and that it was launched from a US warship off the coast of Bali.

By his own admission, Ba'asyir knows nothing about bombs or how to make them, but in his mind the only thing that makes sense is that the CIA has carried out the bombings as a means of sowing hate against Islam. The idea that Ba'asyir knows nothing is, at best, disingenuous.

Ba'asyir also addressed the issue of Jemaah Islamiyah and the belief that it has splintered into two factions. According to Ba'asyir the Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid is not a splinter group of Jemaah Islamiyah or of the Indonesian Mujahideen Council (Majelis Mujahideen Indonesia / MMI). As far as Ba'asyir knows, Jemaah Islamiyah is an Egyptian Muslim study group.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Ba'asyir added that the US and Australia will never defeat Islam and in fact they fear us ("us" I am guessing is Islam). He cites the fear that the US and Australia have of al-Qaeda, which he calls a small group. By my reckoning neither the US and Australia are trying to defeat Islam or make it subservient to some Western Christian ideal.

From a religious perspective Ba'asyir condemned the bombings as not being in accordance with Islam. The not in accordance with Islam part relies on the fact that there has been no formal declaration of war. To bomb "targets" without a formal declaration of war contravenes Islamic or Syariah law principles. Further, he goes on to say that the killing of innocent women and children is wrong even if these women and children are kafir.

However, this is moderated by "if they get involved, even in thought, then they must be killed". There does not seem to be any leeway on that front, and the idea that a mere thought is enough to warrant a killing opens the door to many killings as the idea of a thought seems so very discretionary.

If Ba'asyir did not have any followers and his Al-Mukmin Islamic Boarding School did not have such a long track record of breeding willing and able terrorists, the man would be nothing more than a distraction. However, he succeeds on both these points and this makes him a particularly dangerous man. This is sad because he so does not represent the majority of Indonesians or what Indonesia is about. There appears to be little doubt that there are quite a few Indonesians who wish that he stayed in exile in Malaysia.

Jakarta -- The Bombing Season Returns

The news that the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton were bombed this morning at about 07.45 Western Indonesian Time was not surprising. The idea that Indonesia was free from the prospect of terrorist activity was naive at best and negligent at worst.

My condolences go out to all of those that have lost loved ones or had loved ones injured in the blasts.

The fact that there are several high profile terror suspects still at large and suspected of being in Indonesia must be enough to ensure that security is taken seriously. In many respects, this morning's tragedy was as much to do with it "being a matter of time" and complacency than it was to good planning by a group of terrorists.

I lived in Indonesia for many, many years and have only recently returned home to Australia. I returned home with my family, this was not because of any fear of terrorist bombings, although now that we have returned to Australia, it seems like it was a wise choice. I still feel Indonesia is generally a safe place to live and we would return in a heartbeat for the right opportunity.

I have been to the Marriott on many occasions and have always found the security presence extreme. It is always an interesting sight and experience seeing young men with high-powered weapons screening visitors. That said, the screening of vehicles although giving the appearance of being strict is quite often not what it seems.

Generally, the checks are cursory and sometimes leave a lot to be desired. I have always wondered if those checking vehicles had actually been properly trained in what to look for. Nevertheless, it is these types of checks that gave rise to the complacency that Indonesia was over the terrorist hump and on the homeward stretch to ever-lasting peace, security, and prosperity.

Nevertheless, back end security is not what might be expected.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, time will tell in terms of where responsibility for this horror will fall. It is unlikely that this is Jemaah Islamiyya for a number of reasons, but paramount among these is that JI is unlikely to have maintained the organizational capability in the period after 2002 and the post Bali bombing. However, this should not rule out a splinter group with some kind of loose affiliation with JI.

In any event, I guess these blasts go to show that Australia's travel advisory warnings were on the money with respect to possible terrorist attacks. (I would add here that if you maintain the tone of the travel advisory and keep it in place for long enough that ultimately the odds of being right would shorten to the point where you actually are right at some point in time.)

It was interesting to hear an interview with Kerry Collison earlier today in which he suggested that the bombings had all the hallmarks of an Indonesian military operation. The implications of military involvement is something that one does not really want to consider as this does not bode well for political stability in Indonesia over the long term.

The time is now for Indonesians to stand up with a united front and say that "enough is enough". It does not matter whether you are Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Animist, or whatever, no sane person can justify the killing of innocents. The simple reality here is that there is absolutely, let me repeat - absolutely, no chance of winning the hearts and minds of people by killing them. When will these terrorists understand that killing your own is just not going to get you the sympathy that you might feel the masses owe you. Stupid!

While Indonesians take a stand against terror in their own land, those of us who can must support our Indonesian brothers and sisters in whatever capacity that we can no matter where we live. I will do whatever it is that I can to help.

Violence is never the answer!

Postscript...

For any how have taken umbrage at some of the content of this post or the point and purpose of travel warnings or the like, irrespective of whether you leave a comment or not, I offer no apologies as it is a blog and these are my opinions and "out loud" thoughts on this issue.

I love Indonesia and her people dearly. The country has been an integral part of my development as a person, and for that I will be eternally grateful. I will always feel I have received more than I have given (although there are probably plenty of Indonesians who might disagree) but I will continue to give until my days end.

The point about terrorism is not what religion the perpetrators follow and I do not talk about Muslim or Christian terrorists, just terrorists, those individuals that would seek to disrupt the peaceful existence that the majority of us try and find in our comparatively short time in this world. The point is that there are those who will go to any length to kill and maim the innocents in pursuit of a cause and despite the in-roads Indonesia has made in getting on top of terrorism and some notable successes this has led to a degree of complacency and the idea of it being "only a matter of time".

I saw it and I was fearful of it in the sense that I truly believed it was only a matter of time.

Those that hate exist in all societies and they will always at some point in time make their presence known. Friday, 17 July 2009, was one of those days in Jakarta.

Bali 2002 -- A CIA Nuclear Missile Strike?

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir must be feeling like he is not getting enough press coverage and in order to reinvigorate his 15 minutes of fame he has trotted out one of his favourite headline grabbers of years past, the bombings of 12 October 2002 was the work of the CIA.

Now, the Ba'asyir theory goes that a US warship off the coast of Bali fired a missile. He refers to this missile as a micro-bomb and not a regular bomb. The idea being that poor little Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas are being framed by the US, Australia, and the Jews (presumably Israel).

As far as Ba'asyir can see, these would be the only countries that are capable of pulling off a conspiracy of this magnitude. He does though seem to suggest that Amrozi had a role in the first of the two explosions, but that the explosion was minor and at best shattered some glass and maybe wounded a few people but did not kill anyone.

It would seem that the cleric's contention is that Amrozi was a stooge and that the prosecutors in the case known this but are not brave enough to adduce the evidence in court and prove it.

Ba'asyir is allegedly the spiritual head of the Jemaah Islamiyya or JI. It is an allegation because he maintains that he has never been involved and that anyone claiming that they know him to be involved are kidding themselves. His did do some jail time for being part of an evil conspiracy. The court while sentencing him stated that he had given his approval for the bombings but had not been involved in any other way.

However, he is about to split from the Indonesian Mujaheddin Council and form a new organization concerned with the implementation of "pure" Islamic Law called the Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid. The plan is to launch this new organization on 25 October 2008.

If the speculation turns out to be true as it relates to the execution dates of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas, then maybe he will be launching this new group on the day of the bombers executions.

Then again, maybe not! Current speculation also has people saying that despite the chatter to the contrary the government is concerned about the impact the executions might have on their chance of re-election.

Terrorism In Australia

The trial of 11 alleged terrorists in the Supreme Court of Victoria is hearing closing arguments for the defendants. After more than five months worth of evidence the closing arguments are making for interesting listening and reading. The first of the closing arguments is in defence of the alleged head of the group, Abdul Nacer Benbrika. Benbrika also goes by the aliases Abu Bakr and Sheikh.

Benbrika is alleged to have directed the activities of a terrorist organization. However, his counsel, Remy Van de Wiel QC, is painting the picture of a man who was all talk and no action. Van de Wiel is portraying his client as unworldly and inept because of his lack of knowledge of certain things. This lack of knowledge includes such classics as thinking you can drive to Tasmania, not being able to spell "Google", not knowing that the Australian Embassy in Jakarta was bombed in 2004, and that there was a Federal election that same year.

My question is a simple one; just because you do not know geography, cannot spell, and unknowing of certain events, does this mean you cannot be a terrorist? I never realized that there was an IQ requirement to be a terrorist.

This chap may well be a "gunna" man. A man who talks the talk but never quite lives up to that talk with action. Yet, this does not mean he did not lead an organization of budding wanna be terrorists. Abu Bakar Bashir is the spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiyya and it is clear that he does not do the dirty work. He has a whole lot of minions that will do that work for him.

I will post the decision when it is handed down.

Indonesia and Jemaah Islamiyya

There have not been any terrorist bombings in Indonesia for some time. Hopefully, it will stay like this for some time into the future. It seems the Indonesian police are on a bit of a roll and in particular the anti-terrorist unit, Detachment 88, who have arrested a further 10 suspected Jemaah Islamiyya followers and wanna be terrorists. The Spiritual Head of Jemaah Islamiyya is Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (Bashir) (make whatever interpretation you will of the cartoon / caricature).

The police allege that the 10 were planning to bomb a cafe somewhere in Sumatra. The police did not say where, but I would of thought the most likely place would have to be Medan. However, if the attack was to be directed at tourists then places like Danau Toba and Bukit Tinggi might be likely. The Bedudel Cafe in the Chinatown district of Bukit Tinggi has been listed as a target in the past.

The suspects are linked to Mas Selamat bin Kastari. Mas Selamat is alleged to head up Singapore's JI operations and recently embarrassed Singaporean authorities with the ease of his escape from custody. One of the suspects is an English teacher, not that that is important on its own, who is also the chief bomb making instructor.

Police spokesman, Abubakar Nataprawira, said that the teacher was arrested in South Sumatra on Saturday "based on a red notice issued by the Singapore government for involvement in the terrorist network of JI, which is a forbidden terrorism organisation in Singapore". This is likely to mean that the suspect is Singaporean but he could easily be Indonesian. The police have only released his initials, MH, so far. However, the belief is that MH is closely linked to Mas Selamat. Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group believes that MH is most likely a member of the Singaporean JI cell.

Mas Selamat was arrested and detained in Singapore as intelligence at the time indicated that the JI cell in Singapore were advanced in a plan to hijack a plane and crash it into Changi airport back in 2001.

Although the arrests will prove to be another setback to JI in Indonesia and perhaps the region, the threat still remains with Noordin Mohammad Top still at large. Top is known to be committed to targeting places that are frequented by foreigners and civilians.

The suspects also include the Head of a local hard-line religious group who was once accused of trying to murder a priest in 2005. Another of the suspects is the Head of a local Pesantren or Islamic Boarding School who is alleged to have received terror training in Afghanistan in the 1980's.

These are significant arrests but with the real leaders still at large it is a bit premature to say that the end is nigh for JI. Nevertheless, 10 arrests at once is sure to make a significant dent in the operational capabilities of JI. Perhaps some of the suspects might be knowledgeable enough that the bigger fish might be caught as well.

But credit must be given where credit is due. Credit is due here because the planning for a terrorist bomb attack by these clowns was well advanced. The police have saved lives with these arrests and for that we must be grateful.