Indonesian Jihad veterans from Libya, Philippines and Afghanistan geared for suicide attacks
Jakarta (AsiaNews) At least 3,000 Indonesians are ready to launch terrorist and suicide attacks in different parts of the archipelago, according to public security forces in Jakarta. Security has been stepped up against the would-be terrorists, defined as a "potential threat to national security".
The same sources said the 3,000 Jihad warriors were all volunteer veterans who fought in the past in Libya, Afghanistan, the Philippines (Mindanao).
The statement from the security services coincides with declarations by Dien Syamsuddin, president of Muhammadiyah, the country's second foremost Muslim political organization. According to Syamsuddin, all these people were recruited to be prepared "from the emotional and moral point of view" to fight the Jihad. The public security forces said their number could reach 5,000, all capable of suicide attacks. "They could be spread out across various cities in the provinces of Java and west Sumatra. Some veterans have even infiltrated political parties."
The public security forces went on to say that the veterans have bases in Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi.
The Indonesian forces of order have been on a state of alert since the discovery of a plan of terrorist attacks against churches and other public buildings in the Christmas period. The discovery came after the eradication of a Jemaah Islamiyah cell which was preparing attacks in Batu in Malang (East Java).
The Islamic communities in Indonesia are ever more dismayed by and seeking to distance themselves from the ideology of violent groups. Meanwhile, an Islamic site had come to light in the capital, www.anshar.net , which is probably based in Great Britain. According to Roy Suryo, a multi-media expert, the site is linked to Azahari, the terrorist killed on 9 November last, who was held to be responsible for the Bali and Jakarta attacks.
Some messages posted on the site explain how to organize a bomb blast or a shootout in public sites like the Gambir central station in the heart of the capital.
Many illustrations demonstrate how to shoot from a motorcycle in the most "in" streets in Jakarta, like the Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Thamrin, where the headquarters of many multi-nationals are based.
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21/04/2023
