The Jakarta Bombings and Democracy...

The death of Noordin M Top provided the Indonesian National Police with a wealth of information and data apparently. During the shootout which saw Top finally topped, the police managed to recover a laptop that supposedly belonged to Top.

The police have today said that the laptop contained a number of videos. One of these videos was supposedly shot on 21 June 2009, about three weeks prior to the bombing, and shows the bombers, Dwi Permana and Nana Ikhwan Maulana, having a meeting that is being described as a picnic by some, in the vacant lot opposite the JW Marriott hotel and not far from the Ritz-Carlton hotel.

The video is allegedly shot by Saifuddin Jaelani. The video zooms in on Nana pointing to the hotels and saying, "this is our target". It is being reported that Jaelani's voice can be heard saying, "destroy America, destroy Australia, destroy Indonesia".

The video then cuts to Dani saying, "this is not suicide, this is what our enemies fear!" Dani then goes on to say, "this is an obligation for all, those who do not execute this obligation are sinners." Remember, Dani is just a youngster at 18 years of age. If Top and his jihadis could convince an 18-year-old to become a suicide bomber, then it is fair to say that they are a sophisticated and dedicated organization.

If anyone thinks that the death of Top puts an end to the scourge of terrorism in Indonesia they just do not understand the nature of the beast, or the mindset of those, who will go to any lengths to create a world in their own warped version of what they think God intended it to be. There might be a lull, but this is likely to be a lull before the storm. The laptop, according to police, also indicates that Top's band of jihadist warriors were well-organized, well-equipped, well-supported, and had recently re-established links with other terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda.

Apparently, the laptop also includes a letter that Jaelani wrote to his family accusing Americans and Australians of "slaughtering his brothers". This explains the earlier comment, but may also go to show why the James Castle Breakfast gathering was targeted in the JW Marriott. It would seem a pretty good target for a terrorist trying to make a statement about American and Australian involvement in activities that a terrorist considers to be an insult to Islam and an affront to his Muslim brothers.

But, perhaps most terrifying for Indonesia and Indonesians is that Top and his band have decided to target Indonesia and Indonesian interests and the Indonesian government because of its efforts to promote democracy. This begs the question, when one considers, and in spite of the teething problems, the majority of Indonesians would consider more open government and greater democracy a step in the right direction.

It would seem that the more fundamental interpretation of Islam adopted by Top and Jaelani runs counter to what the great majority of Indonesian Muslims believe with respect to democracy.

Perhaps, the drive to democracy will be the trigger that invigorates moderate Muslims to oppose the radical or fundamental elements that seek to destroy rather than build on Indonesia's potential for greatness.

Viva Indonesia and Viva Democracy!

The Plot To Assassinate SBY -- Part II

It would seem that not everyone is buying into the plot to assassinate SBY as allegedly hatched by Noordin M Top and his band of terrorist colleagues. Some are openly cynical about the evidence provided to date, and have no qualms about suggesting the police have been part of a beat up in order to boost the popularity of the chosen one, aka President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY.

The claims by experts in the field are that the idea that there was a concrete plan to assassinate the president are baseless, at least at this point in time. Anak Agung Banyu Perwita of Parahyangan Catholic University has said that the bombings of the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton hotels along with the recent raids on the supposed hideouts of Top and his colleagues is hardly convincing proof of a plot to assassinate. In fact, Perwita went so far as to say that the raids were nothing more than a publicity stunt to boost the president's popularity.

The assassination plot was intimated in the speech that SBY gave in response to the most recent bombings of the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels. The recent raid in Jatiasih, Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, and the subsequent discovery of 500kgs of explosives is the proof of the assassination pudding. It is being argued that the proximity of Jatiasih to Cikeas, Bogor, and the private residence of SBY is proof that the terrorists were targeting the president for assassination. A long bow by any stretch of the imagination. One would hope that the police have a little bit more than that.

It might be a little dangerous to assume that they do.

The party of Megawati, PDI-P or the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle, through one of their members on Commission I, Andreas Pareira, has said that the statements of the National Police Chief, Bambang Hendarso Danuri, are nothing more than assumption and speculation. For Pareira, the idea that Top is now targeting the president signifies a major shift in the manner in which Top's organization is operating. Top and his band of terrorist cohorts have traditionally targeted western interests.

Putting the assassination plots into perspective. Thomas Belfield has a good piece about the attempts on Soekarno throughout his time as leader of the nation.