Free Republic

Muslim militants behind a series of bombings in Indonesia in recent years are damaging the cause of radical Islam in the country, an alleged leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah militant group said, highlighting a split in extremist ranks. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Abu Rusdan also said that small terror groups working independently and influenced by Internet teachings were likely to launch more attacks against Western targets in the world's most populous Muslim nation. "Muslims who have experience in jihad and received an education in it feel obliged to practice it where ever they are," Rusdan said...

An Indonesian court has jailed the acting head of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) regional terror group for three-and-a-half years. Abu Rusdan was found guilty of shielding key Bali bomber Mukhlas from justice. Prosecutors had sought a nine-year sentence while the charge was punishable by up to 15 years under an anti-terror law. "The verdict is clearly tyrannical and the next legal effort is to appeal," Rusdan told reporters. "I will take everyone who acted tyranically against me to the court of Allah." Rusdan's lawyer Ahmad Michdan said he would appeal. Judge Mahmud Rahimi said Rusdan, who is also known as...

INDONESIAN police were last night interrogating a new batch of terror suspects, including a man they say was chosen to take over Jemaah Islamiyah, the al-Qaeda-linked group blamed for last year's deadly Bali bombings. Police said some of the men had admitted involvement in other bombings and were plotting new attacks, possibly ahead of national elections next year. "They are under interrogation at the moment," Chief Detective Lieutenant General Erwin Mapasseng said. Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, is under pressure to crush Jemaah Islamiyah and reaffirm its commitment to the US-led war on terror after its vehement opposition to...