Jakarta – An Indonesian militant Muslim group said Friday it would defy a government ban on sending volunteers to fight against any attack by the United States on Afghanistan. The Islamic Youth Movement (GPI) said registration remains open for those who wish to wage jihad, or holy war, in Afghanistan.
Several Muslim youths were seen filling in application forms at GPI headquarters in central Jakarta and taking physical fitness tests. Two volunteers practised fighting in the traditional Indonesian martial art of pencak silat. A GPI member threw a chair at a would-be jihad warrior, who punched it with a karate-style move. Organisers threw firecrackers around the room as recruits filled in forms in an attempt to test their mettle.
"So far we have registered 700 volunteers," a GPI leader, Adang Hidayat, told AFP."Our activity will keep going while monitoring developments in the US plans to attack Afghanistan," Hidayat said.
Agus Hartono, one of the volunteers, said GPI had asked for five million rupiah (500 dollars) to finance his journey to Afghanistan. "I am ready to go but I don't have cash to get a passport. America is ready, so am I," Hartono said. Asked about the government's announcement that it would prevent Indonesains from fighting in another country's war, he said: "That can be settled."
Indonesia on Thursday announced tighter curbs on anti-US protests and vowed to turn back Afghanistan-bound "jihad" warriors, after near-daily demonstrations which have unnerved foreigners and pushed down the rupiah and the stock market.
Senior security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government would prevent Indonesians from travelling to Afghanistan to fight against any US attack on that country in retaliation for the September 11 terror strikes on New York and Washington.
He said that under Indonesian law, any Indonesian who fought a war in another's country would lose his citizenship. "The government made the decision, which will be implemented on the ground, to protect the safety of Indonesian citizens wherever they are and their physical involvement in war in another country will not be justified," Yudhoyono said. He said intelligence services would watch for any Indonesians travelling to conflict-ridden countries but so far none had been detected.
The GPI has threatened to drive out Americans and citizens of countries that support any US military operation in Afghanistan – where Osama bin Laden, Washington's chief suspect in the terror attacks, is believed to be hiding.
The US State Department has told all Americans to consider leaving Indonesia and authorised non-essential diplomatic staff to go if they wish. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, relies heavily on foreign aid and investment to revive its debt-burdened economy. Although no foreigner has been reported injured and only one unsuccessful "sweep" has been mounted, the threats and protests have unnerved some expatriates.