NU urges govt to stand firm against radical groups

Jakarta, NU Online
Deputi chairman of lawmaking body of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Mustofa Bisri (Gus Mus) urged the government to take firm stance against any violence committed by radical groups in the country.

Gus Mus called for the importance of dealing with the groups for being considered to have imposed their will by committing any violence and even being able to threaten the Unitary State of Republic of Indonesia.

"Firm measures taken by the government against the radical groups constitute one of effors in implementing a mandate to protect all (Indonesian) people," said Gus Mus on the sidelines of a seminar in Semarang over the weekend.

He said that NU could surely tackle the radical groups both easily and quickly for the country's largest Muslim organization has thousands of members groupped under its youth wing, the Ansor Youth Movement.

"Actually it is easy for us if we want to crack down on the radical groups for NU has thousands of members of the Ansor Youth Movement and the Pagar Nusa marital arts group," he said.

As reported by Antara news agency the Densus 88 counter-terrorism squad arrested two terror suspects identified by their initials IM and AH in Jakarta recently.

They were suspected of having been involved in the military training in Aceh Province, he said.

Previously, police have arrested 14 alleged terrorists, namely two in Pekalongan (Central Java), two in East Kalimantan, seven in Jakarta, two in Central Sulawesi and one in Bandung (West Java {Province).

The two suspected terrorists arrested in Kutai Kartanegara District, East Kalimantan Province, are Muhammad Sibghotulloh alias Faisal and Yuwardi. They were suspected to being involved in the bombing of Adz Zikra mosque in Cirebon, West Java, recently.

The suspects were also believed to have planned police shooting in Palu, central Sulawesi, supplied weapons from the Philippines.

Yuwardi and Faisal were arrested by the Densus 88 of the National Police on June 11, 2011.

Meanwhile, the Densus 88 counter-terrorism squad arrested a terror suspect at Jalan Salemba, Central Jakarta, early Thursday.

"True, we are still developing the case," said an officer of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police who spoke on condition of anonymity here on Thursday.

The terror suspect, identified by his initials as IR, was arrested in front of the YAI campus, the police officer said.

Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police`s public relations service Snr Comr Baharudin Djafar confirmed the arrest of the terror suspect who had been declared a fugitive.

"True, but for more details, contact the Indonesian Police Headquarters for confirmation," he said.

Baharudin said he had received a report from the chief of the Central Jakarta police that Densus 88 had arrested a terror suspect, identified by his initials as IR. (mkf)