Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JAKARTA13181
2006-11-13 07:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

NEW ZEALAND DCM CALLS ON JI'S POLITICAL WING

Tags:  PTER PREL PGOV KISL SOCI ID 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #3181/01 3170709
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 130709Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2007
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHJA/ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0083
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 1128
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 013181 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2011
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KISL SOCI ID
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND DCM CALLS ON JI'S POLITICAL WING

Classified By: Political Officer Catherine E. Sweet, Reasons 1.4(b) and
(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 013181

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2011
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KISL SOCI ID
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND DCM CALLS ON JI'S POLITICAL WING

Classified By: Political Officer Catherine E. Sweet, Reasons 1.4(b) and
(d)


1. (C) Summary. New Zealand's Deputy Head of Mission briefed
us about his meeting with Irfan Awwas, the leader of Majelis
Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI),Jemaah Islamiyah's political wing
(his reporting cable has been sent by classified email to
EAP/MTS and INR/EAP). Awwas spoke about MMI's goal of
peaceful implementation of Islamic law (shari'a),which he
said would be achieved without violence and with exceptions
for non-Muslims. He praised shari'a implementation in Aceh
and expressed support for the proliferation of local shari'a
laws in Indonesia. Awwas railed against Australia and the
U.S., and argued that democracy has "not brought any good to
people." Finally, Awwas claimed that there is no tangible
proof that Usama bin Laden was responsible for the September
11 terrorist attacks, saying bin Laden was the victim of an
international conspiracy. Strachan's cable noted Awwas's
"strong sense of moral superiority and dogmatic adherence to
an impositional agenda," and added that "hints of a
totalitarian mindset were chilling." End Summary.


2. (C) David Strachan, New Zealand's Deputy Head of Mission
in Jakarta, briefed poloff November 6 about his meeting with
Irfan Awwas, the leader of Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI),
Jemaah Islamiyah's (JI) political wing; he also provided us
with a copy of his reporting cable. (Note. The full text has
been sent by classified email to EAP/MTS and INR/EAP. End
Note.) Strachan said that he had been interested in meeting
with MMI for some time, but cancelled last year when Awwas
refused to meet him in a neutral location. This year, when
Awwas reiterated that he would only receive Strachan at MMI's
headquarters in Yogyakarta, Strachan sought and received
clearance from Wellington to travel thereon October 6. He
was accompanied by an interpreter.

Atmospherics
--------------


3. (C) Before turning to the substance of the meeting,
Strachan set the scene by describing the atmospherics. He

commented that MMI's well-appointed headquarters, including
two late-model cars in the driveway, suggested to him that
MMI has supporters within Indonesia's upper classes. Upon
entering the office, he noticed a tape recorder placed
prominently on Awwas's desk, which was switched on to record
the conversation; he added that this was somewhat superfluous
since an MMI official was madly transcribing the entire
meeting onto a laptop as well. Only later, when he received
a copy of MMI's trade publication detailing his meeting with
Awwas, did Strachan realize that this courtesy call would
become part of MMI's propaganda toolkit.


4. (C) Strachan told us that New Zealand's intelligence
service had provided him with a list of questions, intended
primarily to draw Awwas out about the group's political
philosophy. For example, they requested that Strachan ask
Awwas's opinion about radical Islamist ideologues Sayyid
Qutb, Abdullah Azzam and Sayyid Abul A'la (Maulana) Maududi.
Awwas, however, did not bite; instead, he claimed that MMI's
teachings are derived from the Qur'an, hadith and life of the
prophet Muhammad. He asserted that MMI's primary purpose is
to encourage implementation of Islamic law (shari'a) through
proselytizing and jihad, which he quickly clarified did not
refer to violent action. On the contrary, Awwas claimed, MMI
"hated criminal activity in all its forms." (Note. Awwas's
protestations notwithstanding, MMI spiritual leader Abu Bakar
Ba'asyir again voiced support for violence on November 6.
Local media report that while preaching in East Java,
Ba'asyir urged his followers to wage jihad in the southern
Philippines or Iraq if they were so inclined, rather than in
Indonesia. He said that the Bali bombers like Amrozi "were
right but they waged jihad at the wrong time and wrong place"
by attacking Indonesian targets. End Note.)

Shari'a: The Cure for What Ails You
--------------


5. (C) Awwas demurred when given the opportunity to praise
Iran or Afghanistan under the Taliban as ideal Islamic
societies. He was quite pleased, though, with shari'a
implementation in Aceh, claiming that the criminalization of
alcohol and prostitution had helped reduce the crime rate by
85 percent. Awwas also expressed support for local shari'a
laws that are proliferating in Indonesia, calling them "a
good development." When pressed about whether MMI would
advocate for applying "hudud" laws and punishments (i.e.,
amputations for thieves, beheading for murderers, stoning for
blasphemy and adultery),Awwas said they would. At the same

JAKARTA 00013181 002 OF 002


time, Awwas was careful to say that non--Muslims would not be
subject to shari'a regulations.


6. (C) According to Strachan, Awwas explained MMI would have
five priorities if its ideal of a shari'a-governed society
were realized: securing freedom of religion; protecting
Muslim minds from being damaged by things like alcohol and
drugs; ensuring that the only killings are those carried out
for "a justifiable reason;" protecting property (including
prescribing severe penalties for corruption and theft); and
protecting the blood line by ensuring that children are
legitimate. Strachan commented to poloff that this last
remark was vaguely reminiscent of Nazis' master race theory.


7. (C) In Awwas's view, shari'a implementation under a
worldwide Islamic caliphate would result in peace and harmony
for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He harkened back to the
glory days of the caliphate in Al-Andalus as a model, noting
the Muslim world's (ostensibly benevolent) influence in
Europe.

Australia/America: Root of All Evil
--------------


8. (C) Strachan described Awwas as calm and even-tempered
until Australia and the U.S. were mentioned. Awwas accused
Australia of thwarting MMI's humanitarian relief efforts
after the Yogyakarta earthquake, and he alleged that both
Australia and the U.S. had mistreated Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. He
heaped scorn upon the "legalization of decadence" that he
said characterized American society, and called President
Bush "the world's number one terrorist." Unlike other
Islamist leaders, Awwas did not attempt to argue Islam's
compatibility with democracy. Indeed, he disparaged Islamist
political parties like the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) as
power hungry, contending that Islam could never emerge
victorious from within democratic systems. In his view,
democracy has "not brought any good to people. The emergence
of democracy (has) separated Muslims from Islamic teaching.
If democracy gave a real chance to Islam, shari'a would be
more easily implemented." As for the state doctrine of
Pancasila, Awwas asked rhetorically what 61 years of
Pancasila had done for Indonesia, saying Indonesia was no
different now than it was under colonialism.


9. (C) Finally, Awwas repeated the tired refrain that there
is no tangible proof that Usama bin Laden was responsible for
the September 11 terrorist attacks. If there were, Awwas
contended, he would be shunned by MMI. At present, however,
bin Laden was simply the target of an international
conspiracy.


10. (C) Strahan told poloff that he hesitated to challenge
Awwas's numerous contradictory statements or probe too deeply
on sensitive subjects because he was not sure how Awwas would
respond. Although Awwas was largely placid through the
encounter, Strahan said he felt uneasy in not knowing what
might cause Awwas to erupt. In his cable, Strachan commented
about Awwas's "strong sense of moral superiority and dogmatic
adherence to an impositional agenda. Hints of a totalitarian
mindset were chilling," he added.
PASCOE