One will recall that the recent wave of moves to ban Ahmadis from the public practice of their religion and even identifying themselves as Ahmadis began with the savage murder of three members of the sect. Authorities, who regard them as a heretical Islamic sect, essentially blamed the victim for causing trouble by existing. And […]
Indonesia: Popular singer latest target in jihad mail bombings
Latest hollowed-out book-bomb title: Militant Jew. More on this story. “Popular singer latest target in Indonesian mail bombings,” by Niniek Karmini for AP, March 17: JAKARTA, Indonesia “” A popular singer. A former anti-terror chief. An outspoken critic of Islamic extremism. All have been targeted by parcel bombs sent by suspected Muslim extremists, leaving many […]
Indonesia: Jihadist bombs hidden in books entitled They Must be Killed for their Sins Against Islam and Muslims
Somehow the senders of these book-bombs have gotten the idea that someone who “sins against Islam and Muslims” must be killed. And where are all the peaceful, moderate Muslim voices working to convince them that that isn’t so? How many hundreds or thousands of times must they be AWOL on occasions like this before the […]
Indonesia: Bomb explodes at office of “Liberal Islam Network”
Here is yet another chapter in our ongoing series, Why We Don’t See More Genuine Islamic Reformers: “Bomb explodes at Indonesian Islam group HQ: police,” from AFP, March 15: JAKARTA “” A bomb exploded at the office of a moderate Islamic group in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Tuesday, injuring four people including a police […]
In Aceh, Sheena is not a punk rocker
Aceh is a case study in how creeping Sharia works. It gets a foot in the door with promises of moderation, tolerance, and limited applications — after all, “War is deceit,” according to Muhammad. As its proponents gain confidence, enforcement of Sharia becomes more aggressive and intrusive on private behavior, because, in truth, Sharia is […]
Indonesia: Church forced to close on the word of one Muslim cleric
Sharia forbids the propagation of non-Islamic religions. He accused the church of proselytizing, and also invoked Indonesia’s permit system for places of worship. Being at the mercy of the Muslim majority for a permit stacks the deck against building new churches and lends itself to excuses for closing existing ones, as is described in detail […]
Indonesia: Jihad leader facing terror charges says “I”m being tried for defending Islam”
He said it. It is now up to “moderate” Muslim leaders to explain how training for jihad violence does not equal defending Islam. But don’t hold your breath. “Bashir Says Charges Against Him Equate to Ban on Islam,” by Heru Andriyanto for the Jakarta Globe, March 8 (thanks to Block Ness): Firebrand cleric Abu Bakar […]
Indonesia: Another province bans Ahmadis from publicly practicing their religion
This trend has arisen in response to recent episodes of persecution, though the Ahmadis were not the perpetrators, but the victims. It is striking how quickly Indonesian authorities can move when they care to in order rein in Islamic “heretics.” Of course, such pious zeal is never directed at, say, the rabid thugs (and supposed […]
Indonesian regional chiefs to crack down on Ahmadiyya for stirring up trouble
Here’s a recent Jihad Watch headline: Indonesia: Machete-wielding Muslim mob attacks Ahmadi Muslim “heretics,” murdering three That was from February 6. And now authorities in Indonesia are claiming that the Ahmadis have “stirred up community conflicts.” This is exactly the same Islamic supremacist evasion of responsibility and tendency to blame the victim that we saw […]
Indonesia: Islamic cleric gets slap on the wrist for beating and stabbing of Christians
Five-and-a-half months in prison for “unpleasant deeds.” “Indonesia jails Muslim radical over Christian attack,” from AFP, February 24 (thanks to Twostellas): An Indonesian court today jailed the leader of an Islamic vigilante group over an attack on senior Christians, as the country grapples with an outbreak of interfaith violence. Murhali Barda, head of the Islamic […]