Farouk Arnaz & Heru Andriyanto – Fugitive terrorist Noordin M. Top and his accomplices managed to maintain their presence in the country because local groups helped them to establish a secure base of operations, a former senior intelligence official said over the weekend.
These local groups are believed to be influenced by Salafist groups such as Saudi Arabia's Wahabis, the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizbut Thahrir.
"Even the tough Jemaah Islamiyah was paralyzed after some of its members were arrested by the police antiterror unit," retired Army general Hendropriyono, the former head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), said in his remarks during an open test for his doctoral decree at Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University on Saturday.
"But Noordin managed to escape and act as a mastermind of [the recent Jakarta hotel] bombings, because groups in Indonesia provided a safe house. A fish can't survive without water."
Noordin, believed to be the leader of a JI breakaway group seeking to attack Western targets, is accused of planning and carrying out the bombings in Bali in 2002 and 2005, as well as attacks in Jakarta in 2003 and 2004. He remains at large, despite several manhunts targeting his cell over the last few years.
It is believed that Wahabi teachings have become influential in the Central Java town of Cilacap, where Noordin was sheltered by Bahrudin Latif, the 60-year-old head of Al-Muaddib, an Islamic boarding school.
Bahrudin reportedly allowed his daughter, Ari Aryani, to marry Noordin. "Al-Muaddib, which means 'civilization' in Arabic, has been used as a terrorist camp," Hendropriyono said.
His remarks drew a strong reaction on Sunday from Ismail Yusanto, the spokesman for Hizbut Thahrir Indonesia, who said the accusations lacked objectivity.
"Whenever there is an attack, people point their finger at Muslim groups, and the suspects are linked with the Islamic schools where they have studied," Ismail told the Jakarta Globe.
"As far as I'm concerned, all Muslim groups have condemned every single militant attack in this country. Even [alleged JI spiritual leader] Abu Bakar Bashir himself has publicly said that those who attack civilian targets are the enemies of Islam. We don't see any need to protect suspected militants, whatsoever."
Ismail said his group might try to meet with Hendropriyono to clarify his remarks.
Former JI member Nasir Abbar admitted on Sunday that Noordin had supporters who offered him protection.
Hendropriyono said that terrorists always had dual personalities. "They say 'peace' on one hand, and deliver threats on the other," he said. "For me, both Osama bin Laden and George W. Bush are terrorists."
Bin Laden oversaw attacks on civilians, while Bush ordered the murder of innocent people in Afghanistan and Iraq, he said.