Interview with Indonesia Matters

… in their purpose...you know, the lifeblood in what could otherwise be arid terrain. Our own Mohammed Khafi is an example of a water poster.

As for Animal/Vegetable/Mineral.....Posts can be made up of anything really. I get posts made of lead, posts made of raindrops, or smiles...for example. Then there's the posts made from the dust of a long journey, oh, and the linoleum posts! You should see some of the linoleum posts! Ross is a linoleum lover. Stuck in the times when …

Abdullah Aa Gym Gymnastiar

Charismatic Muslim preacher Abdullah "Aa Gym" Gymnastiar has taken a second wife.

Abdullah Gymnastiar, commonly referred to as Aa Gym, a hugely popular preacher and holy man, has shocked the nation, particularly its women, by choosing to exercise his right to take more than one wife. Not satisfied with long-term spouse Teteh Nini Gym three months ago married a former model from Bandung, …

Comment author: Mohammed Khafi

Comment by Mohammed Khafi: … leader. Peace

Siti, Susmiyati, & Donald

… the protest in any way, he says. antara

However the next day Saudi ambassador Abdulrahman Mohammed Amen A Alkhayyaf explained that procedures had to be followed, such as police and medical investigations, and that the bodies of the two dead women would be returned as quickly as possible. He said not all Saudis abused their Indonesian staff. antara

In a separate case, Satimah (35), recently returned to her hometown of Jember after having been imprisoned for nine months in Riyadh …

Aceh Abominations

… it with your words, and if you fail again, do it with your heart.

The Jakarta Post writer, Mohammed Yazid, says this should be interpreted as a suggestion to only guide people's behaviour.

I object to various kinds of behaviour, such as spitting in the street, and queue-jumping, but I have yet to hit anyone who engages in such misconduct, which is much more objectionable than a pretty girl wearing tight jeans -that in fact is not objectionable at all, except to priggish preman like …

Japanese Occupation

… returns to Indonesia. First he revisits Kampung Makasar, now an army garrison, and meets Haji Mohammed Nur, who had been a village official in the 1940's. The camp was known at the time as an evil place, said Nur, and some people even today are still superstitious about the entrance gate to it - many people have been killed in car/motorbike accidents there since 1945 even though there are no crossroads.

The tea plantation where he had grown up near Bandung is something of a …

Rufaqa

… for preaching false Islamic teachings, including, it is said, by projecting its leader, Mr Ashaari Mohammed, as a messiah who had the authority to forgive the sins of Muslims, which may be many, or otherwise.

Rufaqa' Corporation's Abuya Ashaari Muhammed, miraculous entrepreneur.

On the 30th officials from the governments of Malaysia, Indonesia Singapore, and Brunei are believed to have discussed possible attempts by Rufaqa to spread its devilish teachings, and its business empire, …

National Pride

… a bargaining chip, and not bend over backwards for foreign leaders. Founding father of the nation, Mohammed Hatta, had stated that it were better the country be drowned at sea than let other powers abuse it, Hamzah said.

The security measures taken for Bush's visit were over the top and had measurably caused losses for Bogor people, particularly traders and public transportation drivers, who were unable to work on the big day of Bush's visit. What's more the helipad that had been specially …

A&W Jakarta Bomb

… massage, by staff. Then the bag he was carrying blew up. detik

November 13th

The man, Mohammed Nur, alias Kholid/Cholid, 36, regained consciousness and was spoken to by police. It appears that he wanted to commit suicide, in a "cool", unusual way. People who know him say he has been depressed or very quiet since his mother died earlier in the year.

Nur is not believed to have any affiliation with Islamic radical groups. He did carry a handwritten note on his person which …

Muazzez Ilmiye Cig

… most is the suggestion that the hijab, and the sexualising of head hair, pre-dates the time of Mohammed, is a pagan practice, and has little to do with Islam.

Muazzez Ilmiye Cig is well-known in Turkey as a strong defender of secularism and has on occasion even criticised Emine Erdogan, the wife of Turkey's Islamist prime minister, for wearing the head-scarf in public.

Muazzez Ilmiye Cig goes on trial today and faces three years in prison if convicted. In Indonesia it would be …

Reasons for Benedict’s Speech

… speech in Germany, in which he quoted a 14th century Byzantine leader:

Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.

These are two possible reasons why he did it.

Christianity today is largely dead, except in America, and in developing countries such as Indonesia, but especially Africa, but such places don't really matter. In Europe, the heartland of …

Noordin Top Hunt

… food and supplies from local people.

One local man suspected that one of the six was Noordin Mohammed Top, the most wanted man in Indonesia (see here for more), and therefore he contacted the police, twice, and asked to see a photo of Top. Since that time the anti-terror squad, Detachment 88, assisted by units of the regular police and the military, have been attempting to track down the men.

Some success may have been met with. Wednesday, 2nd August, one man was captured …

Radicalising of Indonesian Muslims

… Islamic groups who, in turn, could make life uncomfortable for westerners living in Indonesia.

Mohammed Najib Azca, deputy director of the Centre for Security and Peace Studies at Gadjah Mada university in Yogyakarta, Central Java, describes the protest actions by young Indonesians as a reaction to what they see as:

blatantly unjust US foreign policy against Muslims in the Middle East

While Najib Azca, an expert on regional and religious conflicts, says he fears the situation will …

Local & Regional Laws

… dodged by the Department.

A member of Commission III in the national parliament (DPR) Professor Mohammed Mahfud MD, speaking at another seminar, the "Memantapkan Arah Kebijakan Pembangunan Hukum Menuju Terwujudnya Sistem Hukum Nasional Berdasarkan Pancasila dan UUD 1945" in Jakarta on 29th May, advised the Internal Affairs Department to take a more pro-active role in making sure that regional regulations were in line with the national legal system. He added that according to the law …

Hasyim Muzadi Interview

… the most important thing in sharia application is not to tear the country apart. In the time of Mohammed there was rule created, the Mitsaqul Madinah, that said those of other religions were free to practice their faith as long as it didn't disturb Islam.

Jabir, alias Gempur Budi Prakoso

One of two men killed by police in last week in a raid on the suspected hideout of Noordin Mohammed Top was a bombmaker who probably assembled the bombs used in two recent attacks in Bali and Jakarta. He died with a bomb strapped to his chest.

Jabir, alias Gempur Budi Prakoso, who it appears enjoys the support of the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia, was shot dead on Saturday in a raid on a house in Wosonobo, central Java, and apparently learned his bombmaking skills from …

Terror Networks On Java

… an extensive and detailed report on the nature of the terrorist network assembled by Noordin Mohammed Top.

Noordin, who is featured on the FBI's " seeking information " page, here, is believed responsible for leading the attacks, along with his late comrade Azhari Husin, on the Paddy's nightclub in Kuta, Bali, the Marriott Hotel and Australian embassy in Jakarta, and the second, smaller bombings in two Bali restaurants last year.

The report shows how Noordin has managed to …

Indonesia Counterterrorism Report

… marked a major victory for Indonesian counterterrorism efforts. Azahari and JI recruiter Noordin Mohammed Top, a Malaysian, are suspected in nearly every major terrorist attack in Indonesia in the last five years, including the 2000 Christmas Eve bombings, the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings, the 2003 J.W. Marriott hotel bombing, and the 2004 Australian Embassy bombing. Indonesian police continued an intense manhunt for Noordin Top, who remains at large.

Building upon the death of Azahari …

JI Strategy & Tactics

… A report by Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper in Japan of April 17 contended that last year Noordin Mohammed Top, one of JI's leaders, instructed his subordinates to conduct reconnaissance on the vast Paiton Energy coal-fired thermal power plant, 150 kilometers southeast of Surabaya, in east Java.

The power plant, which is owned and operated by a consortium of Japanese, British and U.S. companies, provides much of the electricity for Surabaya, Indonesia's second largest city and the province …

Porn Battle Rages On

… that fair city, who said that women who dressed sexy were asking to be raped.

The mayor, H. Mohammed Ruslan, said women were free to dress up in sexy clothing as long as they didn't do it in public because that invited rape.

If a woman is raped because they she wore sexy clothes don't be quick to blame men, because she herself asked for it.
(Untuk itu, jika ada kaum perempuan yang diperkosa karena berpakaian seksi jangan cepat-cepat menyalahkan kaun adam, karena dia sendiri minta …

Al-Qaeda Funding & Recent News

… .

He explained that:

They [Al-Qaeda] sent it through their channels from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed via Thailand and Malaysia before finally reaching Indonesia.

However he would not mention from which countries the money had come from. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of the masterminds of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and handed over to the U.S. and is believed to be al-Qaeda's third in command.

Petrus said an amount up to $30,000 was first …