The American Spectator

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Dirty Pool

5.4.07 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 5)

Christopher Orlet's "special report" article titled "Geneva Revisited" is full of inaccuracies. To mention just one of the serious gaffes contained in the piece, Orlet's enumeration of four "al-Qaeda-affiliated terror groups" in fact contains only one group that might be labeled as such, though not without significant qualifications.

* The Front Pembela Islam (Front for the Defence of Islam) is a purely domestic and nationalist political movement whose ranks contain many unemployed street toughs (sometimes manipulated by the hyper-secular police and military) that seeks to enforce Indonesian laws that authorities corruptly ignore and to fill in gaps where state force is ineffective;

* Darul Islam is an historical nationalist movement that predates al-Qa'idah by several generations -- and that had only domestic political aspirations;

* Laskar Jihad is a militia movement that operates in areas where primarily ethnic violence (often misrepresented as religious) rooted in transmigration policies of the Soeharto regime is not well controlled by Indonesia's security forces on either the "Christian" or "Muslim" side.

None of these groups can be labeled terrorist; neither FPI nor LJ are forbidden organizations in Indonesia. Only Jemaah Islamiah has demonstrable practical ties to al-Qa'idah, but these are about as meaningful as the ties between Jakarta-based Jaringan Islam Liberal (Liberal Islam Network) and its supporters in international governmental, NGO and philanthropic groups. The fact that JIL has received support in several forms from the Ford Foundation and USAID doesn't make it an affiliate or puppet of those organizations; the same is true of JI with its loose financial links to AQ.

Orlet's bilious dislike for Islam is evident in the color of every paragraph. His distortion and/or ignorance of fact likewise. As for Amsterdam being on the verge of becoming an Islamist dominated city, I haven't noticed any decline in the bustling crowds visiting the Walletjes or stopping for a smoke at a Coffee House. Orlet should cast his research net more broadly and try both.
-- Tim Behrend
Auckland, New Zealand

Christopher Orlet replies:
Mr. Behrend seems to think Indonesia's militant Islamic groups are peaceful, philanthropic organizations. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Mr. Behrend grudgingly admits that Jemaah Islamianh is affiliated with al Qaeda. As for the other militant groups:

FPI seeks to establish strict Sharia law throughout Indonesia (it is already in force in the province of Aceh) and has a long history of raiding saloons and other establishments that offer adult beverages. FPI's leader Habib Rizieq Shihab served a seven-month sentence for ordering his followers to attack Jakarta nightclubs. He objected vociferously to Western humanitarian aid workers after the tsunami, fearing it was a ruse to corrupt Muslims or lead to an eventual takeover. Time magazine has reported that both FPI and Laskar Jihad are suspected of receiving al Qaeda funds.

Darul Islam, an offshoot of Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jemaah Islamianh (many JI members are the children of Darul Islam members), has fought for an Islamic state and sent volunteers to Afghanistan to help fight the US.

Laskar Jihad is a paramilitary organization fighting a holy war against Christians. It's leader, Jafar Umar Thalib -- a cleric of Yemini descent -- fought with the Afghan Mujahideen against occupying Soviet forces and met Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in 1987. In 2002 the BBC reported that "U.S. officials have also voiced concerns that Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network could be helping Laskar Jihad."

If "none of these groups can be labeled terrorist," as Mr. Behrend argues, then the word means nothing.

O'REILLY ACE OF SPITE
Re: Florence King's Chapter and Verve:

He was good when he was starting out and trying to build an audience at Fox several years ago...

But, I fear he's taken himself sooo very seriously, he's become almost intolerable -- especially when he continually fails to ask the reverend Al about Tawana or Freddy's. (Chris Wallace did -- but, then again, Chris didn't punch Billy out when he pointed that nasty index finger at 'em; I would've!)

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