Christian Terrorists
April 3rd, 2007, in News & Issues, by PatungHi there! Why not keep up to date on Indonesian affairs by subscribing to our RSS feed, or get new Indonesia stuff in your email inbox.
Twelve Christians from Poso face the death penalty for terrorism offences.
The trials of twelve Christian men accused of murdering two Muslims near Poso, Central Sulawesi, have begun at the South Jakarta District Court. The men are charged under both the 2002 Anti-Terrorism law and articles in the criminal code, and face the death penalty if convicted.
The defendants are Harpri Tumonggi alias Api (28), Darman Aja alias Panye (23), Edwin Poima alias Epin (25), Agus Chandra alias Anda (23), Syaiful Ibrahim alias Ipul (22), Erosman Tioki alias Eman (28), Walsus Alpin alias Eje (24). Also being tried separately are Benhard Tompodusu alias Tende (28), Sastra Yudawastu Naser alias Ibo (23), Romi Yanto Parusu alias Romi (19), Fernikson Bontura alias Kenong (20), Jefri Bontura alias Ate (21).
In the aftermath of the executions of Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva in September 2006 Christians in various parts of the country staged a number of sometimes violent protests, both locally in and around Poso and in towns in Flores such as Atambua. In one such protest on 23rd September 2006 a mob of Christians set up a roadblock on the Trans Sulawesi road and stopped motorists to inspect their identity papers, presumably to find out what religion they were (see KTP Religion). One of the vehicles stopped by the defendants was a cargo van driven by small trader Arham Badaruddin, 40, and his helper Wandi, 25, both of whom hailed from South Sulawesi - these two men were then forced out of the van and beaten to death, over an extended period.
Lead prosecutor Bayu Adhinugroho Arianto told presiding judge Achmad Sobari it was Syaiful Ibrahim alias Ipul’s idea to set up the roadblock to protest the executions of Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva on September 22nd 2006.
Judge Achmad Sobari adjourned the hearing until April 12th, at which time the court will begin hearing from 10 witnesses called by the prosecution. [1]
“Witnesses tell court of Christian rampage in Indonesia” says an Antara headline of April 27th 2007. [2] Witness Daniel Bandue told the court in Jakarta that he watched helplessly as the gang of Christian terrorists stormed into his house and dragged away the two Muslims trying to hide.
26th July 2007. Five of the accused were sentenced to 8 years prison, two men to 14 years, and ten men to 12 years. [3] [4]
19 Comments on “Christian Terrorists”
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Robert Says:
April 3rd, 2007 at 3:26 pmI wonder if the judges are going to be that lenient with these two guys like they did with Hasanuddin (Poso behadings) who only got 20 years. Probably these guys will get the death penalty and as revenge some more Muslims will be killed. Also these perpetrators will be caught and get the death penalty, and the story goes on and on.
It looks like a Fire Brigade that is trying to extinguish a fire with gasoline instead of water and then wonders why the fire is continuing.
This situation might change for the better when the judges would stop applying double standards for different religions. Another important is the KTP and especially the mentioning of someone’s religion. Omit religion from the KTP!
The Indonesian Government is responsible for fuelling religious violence because they fail to deal with the ingredients which cause this violence. -
Jakarta Butuh Revolusi Budaya Says:
April 3rd, 2007 at 10:57 pmLet’s just hope that the judges can give a proper trial for the defendants. Let’s put aside religions, both Christianity and Islam are not wrong, in fact they’re never wrong. It’s the people who claim themselves as religious people are the ones who use their religions as tools to justify what they do. Indonesia is a plural society, and it will always be. Let’s just live in a harmony.
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Dimp Says:
April 4th, 2007 at 6:10 amI think the government need to show that there will be no preferential treatment for any terrorists regardless what religion, race, connection they have. I am for capital punishment, if it is justified. I just don’t understand why Hasanuddin only get 20 years for beheading 3 innocent people.
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Naga Says:
April 4th, 2007 at 11:34 amWhy label this article ‘Christian Terrorists’?
They aren’t terrorists, they were just defending their faith.
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April 4th, 2007 at 12:18 pmHi Naga,
When they start killing innocent victims then they are terrorists. Defending one’s faith does not mean that you can kill people.
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Karina Says:
April 4th, 2007 at 12:35 pmHi Dimp,
I like your statement ” Defending one’s faith does not mean that you can kill people”. I wish those Muslim radicals in Indonesia share the same point of view. I wish the government dares to be strict with them. Sigh… -
April 4th, 2007 at 12:57 pmHi Karina,
I am just tired of people justifying ones actions just because they are of the same background (religion, race, ideology) and adopting a double standard for the same actions done by people with different background.
Whether you are moslems, Christians, Buddhists, or whatever, if you kill innocent people insinuating terror to the people then you are a terrorist, simple as that.
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Sputjam Says:
April 4th, 2007 at 7:46 pmMuslims go around saying they believe in the one God, but perform ritual worship around a stone. Christians go around saying they beleive in the one god but worship a man. You cannot expect these two groups to behave rationally. Satan have made bad deeds/ritual worship seem pleasant to them. God has taken the light and made them wander in the dark. Deaf, dumb and blind, they wander around without guidance.
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Julita Says:
April 4th, 2007 at 10:44 pmSputjam:
Christians go around saying they beleive in the one god but worship a man.
You seem to know a little bit of something and use it a case for your discussion. That ‘but worship a man’ you meant ‘Jesus’. Read the Bible properly you will read that in the same Bible you got “beleive in the one god” , that one God were talking about was also in public saying ‘This is my Son…………..’ I tell you, you don’t have to believe but you have no say this to those who believe.
Sputjam:
God has taken the light and made them wander in the dark. Deaf, dumb and blind, they wander around without guidance.
Heh, good to know, you believe in a ‘god’ afterall ‘God has taken the light’, who is this one god taking the light from His creation?
Do you also that we have a guidance, not deaf, dimb and blind. The Holy Father is the only ‘one’ person I know who gives his guidance to his entire followers.
In all a very good discussion, many people are spiritual and this proof to be beneficial to their mental and physical health. Let have their believe don’t use it for kiling each other. I just wonder if the Indonesian Christians stop their killing would the Indonesian Moslem stop it too?
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orgindo Says:
April 5th, 2007 at 6:38 amWow wow, same act, different punishment, different news coverage. I wonder what makes it different?
You seem to know a little bit of something and use it a case for your discussion. That ‘but worship a man’ you meant ‘Jesus’. Read the Bible properly you will read that in the same Bible you got “beleive in the one god” , that one God were talking about was also in public saying ‘This is my Son”¦”¦”¦”¦..’ I tell you, you don’t have to believe but you have no say this to those who believe.
Don’t use bible logic to explain to people who use common logic. That is what most Christians do, trying to tell people by doing those stuff. If it doesn’t work, there are two posibilities, first, the listener doesn’t understand, second your method is definitely wrong. Most of the time, it is the second one.
If it doesnt work, then change your way, after all, you can still, pray.
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Janma Says:
April 5th, 2007 at 10:11 amSo why the hell are amrozy and bloody imam samudera still alive and kicking? How come only Christian terrorists get the death penalty and no mercy!
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April 5th, 2007 at 8:09 pmOrgindo, I was merely telling Sputjam (”Christians go around saying they beleive in the one god but worship a man”) that the ‘man’ Christians are worshipping, according to God he is His Son. What is the problem?
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Danny Says:
July 7th, 2007 at 4:09 pmIt will never END. Stop it and lets live in harmony, race, religion, cast, whatever, it’s not a matter!
Just try make peace (try LITTLE bit harder) and WORLD will honour you! -
Justinian Says:
September 14th, 2008 at 3:00 amDear writers,
Before any of you go and begin to try to explain what is going on in Indonesia it is important for you to know the history of Indonesia and Islam.
Indonesia was a country established to further the violent religion of Islam, which dictates that its word be spread by the sword. Before any of you try to deny that fact, realize that Mohammad murdered his first wife’s family so that he could secure Mecca. The Koran itself was not written by Mohammad, as Mohammad himself was unable to read or write, thus condemning him Hell for all eternity. Mohammad actually invented Islam to stop fighting among Arab tribes so that he could easier line his pockets and they could attempt to conquer the Byzantine Empire and loot the wealth that was held there. Islam seeks nothing more than to destroy all other cultures and supplant it with its own. Its whole attitude of free worship for other religions is an outright lie, as when the took control of the city of Jerusalem from the Byzantine Empire they, scrawled across the wall of The Temple of Solomon that, “God would never debase Himself as to have his Son spring forth from the loins of a woman”.
As for Indonesia itself it has a long history of religious prosecutions against the Christian inhabitants of the eastern islands. The government has employed Muslim death squads to subdue predominantly Christian provinces since its violent breakaway from its Dutch colonizers. In 1975 with Suharto’s invasion of East Timor, they were used to put 250,000 Roman Catholics to death. Now there is the farcical judicial system that allows a mass murderer like Abu Bakir Bashir who masterminded the Bali and Jakarta bombings, but is going to put two men to death for attempting to thwart a violent religion based solely on killing and the acquisition of personal wealth. -
Enigmatic Says:
September 14th, 2008 at 12:49 pmJanma Says:
April 5th, 2007 at 10:11 am
So why the hell are amrozy and bloody imam samudera still alive and kicking? How come only Christian terrorists get the death penalty and no mercy!that’ because the duo (or trio) are not terrorists. they are defenders of Islam and they do so by killing those infidels and non-believers ie those australian kangaroos. they deserve martyrdom not the death sentence.
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Rob Says:
September 14th, 2008 at 1:54 pmAmrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas have not been executed because of a legal technicality that saw the process extend into Ramadan.
Patience is a virtue, they say. The execution of these three mass murderers will happen, keep the faith!
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Andy Says:
September 14th, 2008 at 4:28 pmJustinian, you have spoken the truest words on this forum for a long while. Hear Hear…
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janma Says:
September 15th, 2008 at 8:46 amPatience is a virtue, they say.
yeah, well whatzizname… (jabber help?) said Patience is a minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue…
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Kameshe Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 1:46 amGod made us all. So quit thinking you are better than anyone else. Cause God will let you know you’re not. Get off your ego and act like a human being. Even God gave us freedom of choice on things including what religion to follow. And before you start griping about what someone else does, you should look in the mirror first.
The sooner we start trying to get along and quit trying to control other people’s ways of living, as long as it’s not violent, the sooner we will have the kind of place we all really want to live in. We should be helping each other, not controlling or hurting each other. And it all starts with you.
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