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| Southeast Asia |
| Clerics squeal like piggies... |
| 2002-12-21 |
| A group of clerics linked to Abu Bakar Ba'asyir on Thursday formally reported the International Crisis Group to local police for allegedly defaming the group, El Shinta radio reported. The Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) filed the report alleging that the Brussels-based think-tank International Crisis Group (ICG) had defamed the group through its publication entitled "Indonesia's Terrorist Network: How Jamaah Islamiyah Operates." "Just because it's true doesn't mean we ain't defamed..." The MMI claimed that the ICG report, which accuses a number of Muslim clerics of possible involvement with the outlawed regional group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), was completely inaccurate. "Couldn't be true. Nope. Nope. Not us." The group also reported Indonesia's Project Director for ICG Sidney Jones to the police on similar charges. Jones earlier said that ICG was ready to face any legal moves. "We have the documents..." A day before, Indonesia Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Syamsoeddin said he was considering a lawsuit against ICG if they failed to change, by Friday,which documents links between the military and JI. Sjafrie said ICG had misled the Indonesian public as it linked him to Fauzi Hasbi of Aceh province, with whom he maintains regular communication. Sjafrie denied the link. ICG in a statement said that the report had not accused Sjafrie of being involved in JI. If he maintains regular communication, how's that not a link? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |