Indonesia: preacher funded terrorists in Aceh province

This is an update on this story:

Radical Islamist preacher Abu Bakar Bashir allegedly raised tens of thousands of dollars to set up a training camp for militants in Indonesia’s Aceh province, a court heard on Thursday.

Bashir, who continued to campaign for an Islamist state after serving a prison sentence for his role in the 2002 Bali bombing, was also the “amir” of a terror cell planning to attack embassies and hotels, the prosecution said.

The allegations were made during the trial of Luthfi Haidaroh, alias Ubaid, 31, who faces a death sentence if convicted of raising funds for the cell, dubbed “Al-Qaeda in Aceh“.

Bashir, who is currently in police custody, is not on trial.

Haidaroh, who also faces charges including possession of illegal firearms and hiding information about acts of terror, was a member of the Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT), a group Bashir founded in 2008.

JAT agitates for the adoption of Islamic sharia law and militant jihad in Indonesia.

Prosecutors told the West Jakarta district court Haidaroh had helped Bashir to raise at least 20,000 dollars to set up the training facility on northern Sumatra island and regularly reported to him on the group’s activities.

“The accused relayed a message from (slain militant leader) Dulmatin seeking funds to survey the location of militant training in Aceh. Abu Bakar Bashir agreed with the plans,” prosecutor Feritas told the court.

Dulmatin, considered one of the masterminds of the Bali nightclub bombing, in which 202 people died, was killed in a police raid in March, a month after the discovery of the training camp in Aceh.

Haidaroh had discussed setting up the camp with Dulmatin and had “agreed during the talks… (to appoint) Abu Bakar Bashir as the program adviser for the militant training in Aceh,” Feritas said.

“At the time, Abu Bakar Bashir was also nominated as amir (ruler),” he added.

Bashir gave cash to Haidaroh on at least three occasions in 2009 — five million rupiah (560 dollars), 5,000 dollars and 120 million rupiah — which was given to Dulmatin to be used to support training, Feritas said.

via Indonesia preacher funded militants: court – The West Australian.

Netherlands: Prominent jihadist recants and denounces terrorism

The imprisoned Dutch terrorism suspect Jason Walters said in an open letter that he has renounced Islamic radicalism.

“The ideals that I once honored have been lost and I have come to realize that they are morally bankrupt,” Walters said in what he called a “review document” written from the maximum-security prison in Vught. It was published recently in the Dutch daily De Volkskrant.

Walters is a leading member of the jihadist Hofstadgroep, made up of Islamists primarily of Moroccan origin. The group was led by Mohammed Bouyeri, who is serving a life sentence for killing controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh in 2004.

Observers said Walters’ letter offered a window into the mind of a man who had dedicated his life to propagating militant Islam through violence. It helped to understand why some adopt terrorism and what prompts them to reconsider.

Walters’ review could also inform the increasingly partisan immigration debate in Germany and other European nations about how to prevent the radicalization of immigrant youth and help them become functioning members of society.

…”The image that the world only exists of believers and infidels, in which the latter are motivated only to destroy the former, is a childish and coarse simplification of reality,” Walters said. “It ignores the complexity and many nuances of which reality is rich.”

Analysts and counter-terrorism authorities say Walters’ letter is likely to spark debate in militant Islamist circles and serve as an important tool in efforts to counter jihadists in Europe. In a statement, the Dutch National Coordinator for Counterterrorism (NCTb) described it as “a remarkable document” not seen before in the Netherlands.

Dutch terrorism analyst Edwin Bakker from the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael said the letter would serve as “a good tool in the ideological fight against terrorists and Islamists.”

…”I have watched with horror how a once lofty ‘struggle for freedom’ that should have been the go-ahead signal for a new, just world – especially in Iraq – has turned into a bloody escalation of violence, sectarianism and religious mania,” he wrote. “Unheard of cruelty and crimes have been committed in the process.”

He said the random killing by Islamists of innocent Muslims had rendered the struggle for Islamic rule “a total failure.”

The 25-year-old said he hoped his letter would serve “to warn youth not to be misguided by false promises and ideals.” He called on Islamists “to put down their weapons and employ other, productive methods” in order to bring about reforms instead of blaming the United States and the West.

via Prominent Dutch jihadist recants and denounces terrorism | World | Deutsche Welle | 31.10.2010.

According to the police, on his hit list were Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Geert Wilders.

Indonesia: Dictator Suharto to be named “National Hero”

Imagine what would happen if Spain declared Franco a “national hero”… And I don’t think he actually killed half a million Communists…

Indonesian Dictator Suharto

By the time his 31-year rule finally came to an end amid riots and demonstrations in 1998, Suharto had become one of the most reviled dictators of the late 20th century. He was charged with the murder of half a million suspected Communists in the 1960s after he put down a coup against his predecessor, Sukarno (a restoration of order that also led swiftly to the-then Major-General’s ascent to power). He stood accused of genocide in East Timor, more than one-quarter of whose population perished after his 1975 invasion and subsequent occupation of the former Portuguese colony. Free speech and democracy in Indonesia were crushed, with dissidents jailed or summarily shot. As if that were not ignominy enough, he also had the distinction of being branded the most corrupt world leader of all time by the NGO Transparency International, which estimated he looted up to $35bn from the state coffers.

On his death, it may have been said “he will never be forgotten“, but one would have thought most Indonesians would fervently wish the opposite. However, in a move that has caused consternation to human rights activists and heated debate in the country’s media, the Indonesian government is now proposing that the former dictator be formally declared a “national hero”.

via Indonesia to rebrand dictator as ‘national hero’ – Australasia, World – The Independent.

Will Obama tell him something in his coming trip to the country?

Photo: here.

NOTE: just in case a moron is reading this. I’m in no way a Franco’s supporter. But I really hate double standards… 👿

Italy: Muslims and niqab

Title: Blatant mysogyny.

US: “Rally to Restore Sanity” features “Yusuf Islam” aka Cat Stephens

Among those who appeared at Jon Stewart’s DC snarkfest (and attempt to suppress Democratic GOTV activists?) Rally to Restore Sanity in DC today was Yusuf Islam, the artist formerly known as Cat Stephens.

via Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens), accused of backing Salman Rusdie fatwah, appears at DC ‘Rally to Restore Sanity’ – Telegraph Blogs.

If you don’t know, he actually backed Ayatollah Khomeini‘s fatwa that ordered Salman Rushdie to be killed:

Turkey: Army Chiefs boycott celebration of secular Turkey because President’s wife wore a headscarf

Turkish army chiefs boycotted an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace because the President’s wife wore an Islamic headscarf, the Press reported today. The army’s top brass were conspicuous by their absence late yesterday, at a banquet thrown by President Abbdullah Gul to commemorate the creation of the modern, secular Turkey in 1923.

via Infidel Bloggers Alliance.

And now a brilliant piece: Jihad is sweet, Jihad is fun, in which Erdogan plays an important part. Yes, I know that Erdogan is not the President but Abdullah Gül, but that makes very little difference.

(found).

Yemen: Suspect held in connection with packages’ plot, released

The sole suspect held in the plot to send explosive-laden packages to the U.S. from Yemen has been released, according to the suspect’s father.

Yemeni officials said Saturday that security forces had detained two people connected to the probe, raising initial hopes of a big, early break in the case.

Family members identified one of the detainees as Hanan Al-Samawi, a fifth-year engineering student at Sana’a University. Officials said they had also taken in the young woman’s mother but that she wasn’t a suspect herself. Acquaintances and family members defended the young woman, saying she and her family weren’t political or known to be affiliated with militants.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Saturday that Washington passed on a telephone number that led security forces to the female student. According to a person familiar with the probe, Yemeni authorities traced one of the parcels to the student because the package’s paperwork contained the suspect’s phone number and address.

But the woman’s attorney, a human-rights lawyer in Sana’a, said there was no real evidence, suggesting a case of identity fraud.

“They claim that they found her phone number (off) the package, but that is not concrete evidence,” said Abdul Raman Barman, the lawyer, in an interview. “Anyone could have written her number (on) the package. “

via Yemen Releases Suspect Held in Connection to Bomb Plot – WSJ.com.

It seems the author of the bomb is a Saudi national:

A Saudi bombmaker believed to be working with al Qaeda’s Yemen-based wing is a key suspect in the parcel bomb plot against the United States, a US official said on Saturday.

Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, who tops a Saudi Arabian terrorism list, is the brother of a suicide bomber killed in an attempt to kill Saudi counter-terrorism chief Prince Mohammed bin Nayef last year.

via US eyeing Saudi-born bombmaker in parcel bomb plot – Israel News, Ynetnews.

Related:
Chicago Jews learn of bomb plot against their synagogue.
Terrorism leads to loss of 1 bln dollars on tourism. Terrorism and khat are killing Yemen.

Background:
Suspicions items checked on two cargo planes.
Yemen: woman arrested over explosives sent by UPS.

Iraq: 10 Catholics killed, 30 wounded after security forces stormed Baghdad church (UPD)

Iraqi Policeman inside Our Lady of Salvation Chaldean Catholic church, after security forces have stormed the building