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| Southeast Asia |
| Bashir doesn't deign to be taken in... |
| 2002-10-27 |
| Indonesian alleged âterrorâ suspect Abu Bakar Basyir said Sunday he is prepared to be questioned by police but will resist any attempt to detain him. âI will refuse, with whatever powers I have,â he told journalists in his first statement since being rushed to hospital here nine days ago. "And we all know what those powers are..." The Muslim cleric, accused of being the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), did not elaborate on what form his refusal would take, but said if he were detained by police it would be âby forceâ. Normally, detention by the coppers does imply the use of force, either actual or available. Next time you get in a fist fight at your local beer joint, and somebody calls the cops, try telling them "I choose not to be detained." âI am ready for questioning, but regarding the matter of my detention, I deem that it has not met the necessary legal aspects because it can be clearly seen that this is because of pressure from countries of infidels,â he said. âThe terrorist governments of the United States, Australia and Israel demanded that I be detained and therefore it will be âharamâ (religiously forbidden) to follow,â Basyir argued. Well, that settles that, doesn't it? And most of the dead people are infidels, anyway, so what's the fuss? Dozens of Basyir followers are at the Muhammadiyah hospital here where he is receiving treatment from respiratory problems. There have been rife rumors in Solo of unrest should Basyir be detained by force, and more than 1,000 people attended a rally Sunday appealing for calm. Where they jumped up and down, rolling their eyes and waving various sharp objects... An online poll published by the Media Indonesian newspaper showed a majority 56 percent of the 1,752 people who responded believe the arrest of Muslim leaders, including Basyir, will lead to more violence. But how does that make it unjustified? How'd he get to be above the law? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |