Majelis Mujahidin in Indonesia leader Fauzan Al-anshori on “The New Crusade”.

The leader of the Majelis Mujahidin in Indonesia (Indonesian Mujahidin Council), Fauzan Al-anshori, not long ago wrote an article published on his organisation’s website entitled “Perang Salib Baru” – (baru is “new”, salib literally means “cross” or “crucifix”, perang is “war”, “New Cross War” = “New Crusade”) in which he outlined his understanding, such as it is, of the history of Western aggression against Islam and it’s supposed current manifestation under the leadership of George Bush.

The man has a rather superficial grasp of history. He first claims that there were three crusades preceding the present one.

1. 1189, under King Richard the Lionheart.
2. 1914, the Triple Entente war against the Turkish Caliphate.
3. 1956, the Anglo-French attack on Egypt.

He refers to the attacking powers in all three cases as “bangsa-bangsa Nasrani”, the Christian (Nazarene) nations. In the Egyptian case he says Allah willed the defeat of the Christians (actually it was America that willed their defeat) – the question of who Allah was “willing” for in the first two examples, the Christians it would appear, is left up in the air.

The most recent Christian crusade against Islam he says began in 2001 after the WTC attack. It is led by George Bush and all the Christian nations have sent their finest sons to fight under the command of Bush against the might of Islam. The actual military attacks have fallen on Afghanistan, then Iraq, and shortly, Syria and Iran. The new Christian Crusade goes by the name of “The Global War on Terrorism”, Fauzan Al-anshori says.

The war is fought on many fronts, not just the military, like in the mass media, and it is a dirty, brutal fight from which there is no respite. The United States presents two options to the countries of the world – with us or against us, – and employs a carrot and stick approach to get its way.

Fauzan Al-anshori then lists the rules of the war according to Islamic law. It is forbidden for Muslims to:

• ally with the US.
• become agents of the US or give it any information regarding the strength of Islam’s forces.
• condone or accept US invasions of Muslim countries.
• hand over people to the US authorities.
• restrict or sever ties between Muslim nations.
• provide any assets to the US
• facilitate in any way American attacks on Muslims.
• sell land to Americans and their allies.

Muslims are required to:

• sever relations with the US and its allies.
• facilitate Muslim efforts to struggle against the enemy.
• directly aid Muslim efforts to struggle against the enemy
• take back the nation (Indonesia) from the colonial domination of the United States.

Help can be sought from kafirs (non-Muslims) who oppose the new Christian crusade under the condition that the kafirs be in a subordinate position to Muslims.

Those Muslim leaders, businessmen, and organisations which cooperate with the enemies of Islam fall into a number of categories.

• Those who don’t know any better. They should ask an honest religious teacher for advice.
• Those who are too weak and useless to give aid to the Muslim cause. They should step down or be forced out of power.
• Those who are forced into cooperation with the enemies. There is no real excuse for them, even if they are threatened with death they must not aid the enemy. Being forced into something is only permitted in the form of words not deeds, according to scripture.
• Those who know exactly what they are doing. They are beyond the pale, apostates. They must be overthrown, they have no right to be heard or taken notice of, true Muslims must refuse to share the same neighbourhood with them. They must be replaced by those who respect the faith, those who can defend Muslim lands, those who can lead a jihad that can have only two possible outcomes – a noble life or a glorious death.

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So exactly where do the leaders of Indonesia stand in this view? It is not stated but if it is the last then what he is advocating is actually treason, a declaration of war against the Indonesian state and its leaders.