Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JAKARTA8929
2006-07-18 01:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

BA'ASYIR ENJOYING HIGHER PROFILE AFTER RELEASE

Tags:  PTER PREL PGOV KJUS KISL ASEC AS ID 
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VZCZCXRO1426
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #8929/01 1990110
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 180110Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7350
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 9731
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0945
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNFB/DIR FBI WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 008929 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/IET AND S/CT
DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, AAG SWARTZ
FBI FOR ETTIU/SSA ROTH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS KISL ASEC AS ID
SUBJECT: BA'ASYIR ENJOYING HIGHER PROFILE AFTER RELEASE

REF: A. JAKARTA 7555 (JEMMAH ISLAMIYAH EMIR ABU BAKAR
BA'ASYIR RELEASED)

B. JAKARTA 7398 (WHAT'S NEXT FOR ABB JI?)

C. JAKARTA 05040 (PROSECUTORS UNFAZED BY TESTIMONY)

D. JAKARTA 07345 (YUDHOYONO ORDERS CRACKDOWN)

Classified By: Political Officer Adam West for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

SUMMARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 008929

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/IET AND S/CT
DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, AAG SWARTZ
FBI FOR ETTIU/SSA ROTH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS KISL ASEC AS ID
SUBJECT: BA'ASYIR ENJOYING HIGHER PROFILE AFTER RELEASE

REF: A. JAKARTA 7555 (JEMMAH ISLAMIYAH EMIR ABU BAKAR
BA'ASYIR RELEASED)

B. JAKARTA 7398 (WHAT'S NEXT FOR ABB JI?)

C. JAKARTA 05040 (PROSECUTORS UNFAZED BY TESTIMONY)

D. JAKARTA 07345 (YUDHOYONO ORDERS CRACKDOWN)

Classified By: Political Officer Adam West for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

SUMMARY


1. (C) Since his release from Cipinang prison on June 14,
2006 (ref A),Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) spiritual leader and
Indonesia Mujihadin Council (MMI) Amir Abu Bakar Ba'asyir has
used the public spotlight to promote jihad in the Middle East
and Shari'a law in Indonesia in an attempt to broaden his
appeal as an Islamic leader (ref B). A barrage of post-
release speeches, books, and tapes has generated significant
interest from the media and from at least three Islamist
political parties. The GOI has not responded to Ba'asyir
publicly or otherwise, nor has it taken a clear stance on
issues raised by Ba'asyir's designation as a terrorist under
UNSCR 1267, including to what extent his activities will be
monitored by police. Ba'asyir's request for Judicial Review
remains pending (ref C). End Summary

Speaking out on Shari'a and Terror
--------------


2. (SBU) After 26 months in prison, Ba'asyir has spoken out
in support of jihad against Israel and implementing Shari'a
law in Indonesia, possibly in an attempt to burnish his
public credentials and more widely establish himself as an
Islamic leader. Within days of his release, Ba'asyir made a
speech to several thousand members of the Indonesia Mujihadin
Council (MMI),which he still heads. He stressed the need
for Shari'a law in Indonesia, and stated the recent
earthquake in central Java was the result of "damaged morals"
among Indonesians. As a guest speaker at a gathering of the
conservative Islamic and pro- Shari'a Crescent Star Party

(PBB) a few days later, he urged Muslims to travel to
Palestine to wage Jihad against Israel, a salient theme given
the heavy attention that recent events there have received in
the Indonesian press.


3. (SBU) Ba'asyir has wasted no time promoting his views in
other media as well. His release from prison was accompanied
by the release of two new books and two cassette tapes. The
tapes are entitled "Knowing the Nature of the
Munafik"(unbeliever posing as a Muslim) and "Knowing the
Nature of the Infidel". The hardcover book "I Was Slandered"
gives Ba'asyir's version of the events leading up to his
arrest and his time in prison, and includes an introduction
by Hussein Umar, General Secretary of the Indonesian Council
for Islamic Propagation (DDII). "Notes from Prison on the
Application and Establishment of True Islam" appears to be
more a statement of Ba'asyir's religious thought. The cover
features a close-up of Ba'asyir, while in the background we
see the burning twin towers and an American flag being set
afire.


4. (SBU) Ba'asyir's public statements on terrorism constitute
a tangled web of fabrications and contradictions. He states
that "jihad with weapons" is not appropriate for Indonesia,
but still refers to the perpetrators of the 2002 Bali
bombings as "heroes" who merely "erred in their opinions
about jihad". In a July 7 interview with Al-Jazeera,
Ba'asyir explained a convoluted theory of the 2002 attacks in
which the small bombs built by these errant Jihadists were
"attached to larger explosive charges" under an
"arrangement...made by the CIA", resulting in an explosion
that was "doubled in strength". This theory forms the basis
for his call for clemency for the three men sentenced to
death for their role in those attacks, as it was "the
American bomb", according to Ba'asyir, which resulted in the
202 deaths. Ba'asyir's request for Judicial Review of his
own conviction is still pending before the Supreme Court.


Fairly good press
--------------


5. (SBU) Ba'asyir's activities have drawn significant

JAKARTA 00008929 002 OF 002


attention in the mainstream press since his release, much of
it positive, with coverage routinely including pictures that
show a smiling Ba'asyir waving to large crowds. The
Indonesian press refuses to describe Ba'asyir as a member of
JI despite the court's finding to the contrary, referring to
him only as MMI Amir and head of the Al-Mukmin Pesantren in
Ngruki, Central Java. An editorial in the Islamist-leaning
Republika called him the "scapegoat" of the West, and even
the mainstream Kompas described his release as "a homecoming
long delayed". Allegations of foreign meddling in the case
are routinely cited in the media, some of them referencing
past comments by Indonesian terror expert Sidney Jones that
Ba'asyir was convicted on flimsy evidence. Others have
raised Australian Prime Minister Howard's strong response to
Ba'asyir's release, which has been roundly condemned in the
Indonesian press.

Courted by Islamist parties
--------------


6. (SBU) Ba'asyir's popularity has received the attention of
conservative Islamist political parties seeking to capitalize
on his current star power. Aside from his speech at the PBB
(see above),Ba'asyir received a public invitation from
Hamzah Haz, former Vice President and now leader of the
conservative Islamic United Development Party (PPP),to
become a member, and he has been invited to speak to the
National Mandate Party (PAN) as well. While Ba'asyir has
repeatedly stated that he is not a member of any party and is
in fact opposed to electoral democracy in principle, their
interest in him demonstrates that conservative Islamic
parties view him as a public relations asset at the very
least, and that they may be willing to move closer to
Ba'asyir's more radical MMI organization.

GOI reaction limited
--------------


7. (C) Despite recent GOI attempts to promote more forcefully
Pancasila as an ideological alternative to extremism (ref D),
the GOI has neither responded publicly to Ba'asyir's rhetoric
nor visibly tried to discourage other Islamist leaders from
embracing him. Contacts at the Counterterrorism desk in the
Coordinating Ministry for Security state that no such
response is being planned. The GOI response to Ba'asyir's
designation as a terrorist under UNSCR 1267 similarly lacks
coordination. While the Department of Foreign Relations
stated that Ba'asyir's assets would be frozen in accordance
with UN regulations, Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated
publicly that this could not be done. President Yudhoyono
has remained above the fray in public, noting only that
Ba'asyir's release is in no way indicative of Indonesia's
ongoing commitment to eradicating terrorism.


8. (C) The issue of to what extent Ba'asyir will be monitored
by police also remains unclear (see ref B). The GOI has been
less ambiguous regarding the ban on foreign travel that UNSCR
1267 requires, with officials stating firmly that it will be
enforced. However, we have heard a rumor that Ba'asyir might
be planning a pilgrimage to Mecca later this year. If true,
this would constitute a severe test to GOI's commitment to
the travel ban, as there could be considerable pressure not
to inhibit a prominent figure from participating in an event
of such profound religious significance.
PASCOE