Bramantyo Prijosusilo

Does Protecting Free Speech Mean Tolerating Violent Jihadist Propaganda?

While police search for those responsible for terror attacks in our country, some Islamist groups based in Indonesia continue to glorify terror and spread terrorist propaganda.

Undoubtedly this kind of activism stems from secret groups and networks but it is also conducted in plain view of Internet users. Indonesia-based Web sites such as www.arrahmah.com, www.abujibriel.com and www.almuhajirun.net recently posted articles in which they reasoned that the bombings at the Jakarta Marriot and Ritz-Carlton hotels were legitimate expressions of jihad because they were calculated attacks against American and Jewish infidels. In the past these Web sites also declared that the three executed Bali bombers were irrefutable martyrs of Islam and the government that ordered their deaths were servants of Satan.

In discussion forums or comments pages on these sites, there are instructions on how to make bombs and assurances that Muslims can legally kill infidels.

A recent article posted on two of the above Web sites, titled “Islam the Religion of Discrimination,” proudly proclaims that Islam is a religion of hatred. The article also states that “if a Muslim has love for all like non-Muslims want, they cannot be considered Muslim anymore.” The article indicates Muslims must not have love for all creation because without hatred one cannot be a Muslim.

The piece also urges its readers to “attack non-Muslims until they accept Islamic law or pay jizyah [a tax for defeated non-Muslims], and suffer humiliation in the process. Non-Muslims must not use the same roads as Muslims and instead must use the tracks reserved for animals.” Though the article was not written by the Dutch right-wing legislator Geert Wilders, it quotes many of the same Koranic verses that Wilders used in his controversial anti-Islam film that caused worldwide outrage. The article is actually meant to strengthen the faith of those who believe in violent jihad.

Commenting on the bombings, the cleric Abu Jibriel posted an article on his Web site, titled “JW Marriot and Terrorism,” which begins by stating that we are all involved in a war between Muslims and infidels. “If you report on Muslims and bring them into danger so that they are captured, killed, or their sanctity is foiled, then that means you are an infidel and what you do is evil terrorism.”

According to Abu Jibriel, some types of terror are good; “terrorism is part of the dien [religion] and is part of Islamic law and you may not deny it.”

At the end of his propaganda piece, Abu Jibriel concludes: “Currently we are in a certain time [in which] jihad is an obligation of each individual Muslim wherever he or she may be, and it must be conducted physically, financially and also verbally, according to one’s capability. Jihad and terrorism are not things to be feared or to be avoided, because terrorizing the enemies of Allah is an obligation in the religion of Islam.

“Whoever wages war against terrorists who struggle in the path of Allah is waging war against Islam, and whoever denies that terrorism is part of Islam also denies Allah, the Ruler of the universe, and His verses.” Without any sense of irony or Islamist excuse, Abu Jibriel is also a member of the “infidel” social networking site Facebook, where there is also a club for his fans.

Abu Jibriel is a familiar name in the world of Indonesian Islamism and is said to have held an important place in the shadowy Jemaah Islamiyah organization.

He fled Indonesia for Malaysia in 1985 and was eventually held in custody there under the Internal Security Act for two years. In 2003 he was officially labeled a terrorist by the US. In 2004 he was deported back to Indonesia from Malaysia and he currently leads the Indonesian Mujahideen Council that advocates for Shariah law to be implemented by the state.

Apart from being active on the Internet, he also has an active preaching schedule at a mosque in the Pamulang suburb of Jakarta. He gets invited to television talk shows as a hard-core Islamist. The pro-terror Web site www.arrahmah.com, which boasts almost 13,000 members in its discussion forum, is run by his son. While it is understandable that pro-terror propaganda continues to circulate in underground networks, it is curious that propaganda blatantly glorifying terror and advocating the destruction of our republic can continue to operate openly on the Internet.

It’s not likely that authorities are simply unaware of these activities, so the question is: Why are they allowed to continue? Compared to these Web sites, such hard-line Islamic organizations who also advocate for the implementation of Shariah law by the state, such as the transnational Hizbut Tahrir group, appear to be comparatively moderate, because at least they do not advocate violent jihad. The Islam Defenders Front (FPI), though violent in its attacks against what it perceives to be places of debauchery and drunkenness, does not publicly support suicide bombings like these Web sites do.

If we consider peaceful propaganda that seeks to undermine our democratic republic as being subversively dangerous, yet arguably tolerable in the name of free speech, must we also lay down and do nothing when propagandists call democracy the work of Satan while they advocate suicide bombings and glorify Islamist terror at home and abroad?

Law enforcement authorities have enough evidence to justify cracking down on those who consistently call for violent jihad to overthrow our republic.

However, the fact that we often see members of the political elite supporting activities aimed at establishing Shariah law in this country means Islamism has support in high places.

On the other hand, in order to access the millions of Western dollars earmarked for antiterrorism programs, we need to have terror attacks. Cynical as it may seem, this might be one very important reason why terrorists thrive in our country.

Bramantyo Prijosusilo is an artist, poet and organic farmer in Ngawi, East Java.