JI Stays in Indonesian Terror Pledge

Indonesia's leading Presidential candidate wants stronger Counter-Terror co-operation with Australia, but has refused to ban the Terror Group responsible for the Bali bombing.

Retired four-star general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that if elected President this year he would seek improved relations with Australia. "It's part of our foreign policy that should be strengthened," he said.

Mr Yudhoyono has been the dominant Indonesian in the fight against Terrorist Groups in his position as top security minister in the cabinet of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, a post he quit in March to campaign for the Presidency.

Although he has been praised by Western Governments for his work against Terrorism, and has promised to continue if elected President, he stopped short of promising to outlaw Jemaah Islamiah, an affiliate of al-Qaeda.

"There is a debate in our politics there. As an organisation, JI, I would say, does not exist in our list (of banned organisations) actually. But I do understand that men belonging to JI do exist in Indonesia. In our policy of combating Terrorism we have to watch them," he said.

"And if they are planning to commit crimes then we bring them to justice."

JI was listed as a Terrorist Group by the UN Security Council on October 25, 2002, and was immediately banned by many countries.

On Friday the US Ambassador to Jakarta, Ralph Boyce, called on all Indonesian Presidential candidates to prepare to take a tougher line on Terrorism.

The Security Council listing "obliged all states to freeze the assets, prevent the entry into or the transit through their territories, and prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer of arms and military equipment" of JI and its members.

But Jemaah Islamiah translates literally as "Islamic community", and banning the organisation remains a very sensitive issue in a county where 85% of the population is Muslim. The issue is so delicate that Police refuse even to utter the words Jemaah Islamiah when they arrest suspected members of the Terrorist Group.

With 40% support in a poll by the Japanese-funded Indonesian Survey Institute last week, Mr Yudhoyono is the leading Presidential candidate, with President Megawati next at 14%.

Mr Yudhoyono is unofficially favoured by the Bush Administration and the Howard Government. He wants closer relations with Australia, including stepping up Indonesia's controversial military ties with Australia.

Co-operation between the two armed forces was downgraded after the Indonesian Army's complicity in the mass killings that followed East Timor's vote for independence.

While Mrs Megawati has not visited Australia in more than two years as President, Mr Yudhoyono already has plans for a visit. "As a symbol of our closeness, actually, I plan to visit Australia in due time. In the first year I have to concentrate on doing my domestic affairs before going abroad. Visiting Australia is, of course, on my agenda if I'm elected."

Occasional problems in the relationship between Indonesia and Australia could, Mr Yudhoyono said, be easily overcome.

"The Indonesian people are mostly apolitical. And they love their neighbours; they love their brothers and sisters. So I don't believe the people of Indonesia hate the people of Australia, Malaysia or Singapore," he said.

"Yes, of course there can be problems in our political relationships but I do believe - with a spirit of friendship - they can be solved."

Despite opposition in Indonesia to the US-led War in Iraq, Mr Yudhoyono said relations with the US were not at risk. "So far, it's going normal. Of course, what is done by the US is sometimes misunderstood by many Indonesians. As far as we keep up our principles of mutual trust and respect, then I think we could continue our good relations with the US."

Mr Yudhoyono is one of six candidates in Indonesia's first direct Presidential election on July 5. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two will go through to a second round on September 20.

Four of them, including Mr Yudhoyono and US Ambassador Boyce, addressed a conference in Jakarta organised by the Asian Pacific School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Mr Yudhoyono's Democrat Party is the smallest party to contest the election but the former General said he was not overawed by his bigger opponents.


See Also:
The Rising Tide of Islamic Fundamentalism (I)
The Rising Tide of Islamic Fundamentalism (II)
The True Meaning of Jihad
The Holy Qur'an Says...
The Qur'an's 150 Verses Extolling Violent Jihad
The Myth That Must Die!
Why We Fight!
Calling Evil By Its Name
The 'Fifth Column' Exposed!
How to Survive a Terror Attack