Indonesia: Information on the "Laskar Jihad" or "Jihad Troopers": history, methods of operation and international connections (1999-2002)

Country Reports 2000 describes Laskar Jihad as follows:

The Laskar Jihad ("holy war troops"), another Muslim group that was formed during the year, engaged in paramilitary training, and leaders of the group announced that they were planning to wage war on Christians in the Moluccas. The Government closed a conspicuous Laskar Jihad training camp south of Jakarta, but otherwise was reluctant to challenge the organization openly. Many of its recruits, some of whom were children ... were deployed to Maluku and North Maluku provinces beginning in late April, where they reportedly joined in fighting against Christians (23 Feb. 2001, section 5).

Various sources describe Laskar Jihad as "extremist" (Los Angeles Times 22 Oct. 2001; Asiaweek 21 Sept. 2001), "Islamist" (San Jose Mercury News 19 Jan. 2002), "militant" (Barnabas Fund 25 July 2000), "radical" and a "tool to destabilize [former] reformist President Abdurrahman Wahid and thwart efforts to assert civilian control over the military" (AP 24 Jan. 2002). Reportedly one of the most violent Islamist groups (San Jose Mercury News 19 Jan. 2002), it was covertly set up in 2000 by hard-line generals and received funding "embezzled from the army's main warfighting element" (AP 24 Jan. 2002). Pacific News Service reported that Laskar Jihad has "long-established links" to the Indonesian military (27 Sept. 2001). International Christian Concern described the group as a "self-styled army of Islamic 'warriors' who are waging a 'holy war' against Christians," which is "mostly composed of veterans from Bosnia and Afghanistan along with students from local Muslim schools" (4 Feb. 2002).

Although Jafar Umar Thalib, the group's religious fundamentalist leader, denies having ties to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaida (AP 24 Jan. 2002), there are apparent links between Laskar Jihad and Al Qaida (Pacific News Service 27 Sept. 2001), which reportedly has active cells in Indonesia (The Australian 28 Jan. 2002). An unidentified US official stated that there is "more than enough circumstantial evidence that Laskar Jihad is part of a network of radical groups" (AP 24 Jan. 2002).

Ayip Syafruddin, spokesperson for the Ahlussunnah wal Janaah Communication Forum (FKASWJ), a group linked to Laskar Jihad (Asiaweek 21 Sept. 2001; Jakarta Post 4 Dec. 2001), described the group as a "vigilante force to defend Muslim populations against alleged Christian attacks and enforce conservative Islamic values" that was formed in early 2000 to "join violent clashes between Christians and Muslims in the country's outlying islands," but claimed it does not engage in terrorism (San Jose Mercury News 19 Jan. 2002). Syafruddin also denied that the group has ties to Osama bin Laden, saying that Laskar Jihad has a "different vision" (ibid.; Asiaweek 21 Sept. 2001). Some Laskar Jihad members are reportedly from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East (Los Angeles Times 13 Mar. 2001), although former Indonesian defence minister Juwono Sudarsono stated that there was "no credible evidence of foreign elements involved in Indonesia's jihadi groups" (San Jose Mercury News 19 Jan. 2002).

The number of Laskar Jihad members is estimated to be in the thousands (Los Angeles Times 22 Oct. 2001; AI 28 June 2000), with the group itself boasting 10,000 members (Time Asia 17 Dec. 2001), and the Barnabas Fund reporting numbers as high as 15,000 (4 Dec. 2001).

Members of the Laskar Jihad, who wield machetes (Asiaweek 21 Sept. 2001) and wear white robes, were trained at a camp near Jakarta, and describe their activities as "self-defense" (New York Times 28 June 2000). Residents of Duma on the island of Halmahera stated they believed members of Laskar Jihad were involved in a massacre of 206 Christian villagers in June 2000 (ibid.). The Associated Press reported that the group is blamed for "thousands of deaths in a war with Christians in Malaku province" (24 Jan. 2002). The Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2001 stated that "Laskar Jihad militants have forced Christians in some areas of the Moluccas to either convert to Islam, leave the area, or be executed" (26 Oct. 2001, section 2).

In July 2000 Laskar Jihad was reported to have "systematically" cleansed Ambon in Maluku province of some 90 per cent of the Chrisitan population (Barnabas Fund 25 July 2000). Members of the group, armed with mortars and bombs in addition to Indonesian army-issue carbines and rifles, ransacked and burned homes on their quest to "exterminate all Christians" in Ambon (ibid.). The former Indonesian defence minister reportedly admitted that "elements of the army" were fighting on the side of Laskar Jihad (ibid.).

In November 2001 the group launched attacks on villages in the Poso region of Sulawesi, forcing thousands of Christians to flee their homes (ibid. 4 Dec. 2001). In what Time Asia described as a "carefully calculated campaign conducted by trained, disciplined troops" (17 Dec. 2001), some ten Christians were killed, and homes, churches and schools were burnt as some villages were completely destroyed (Barnabas Fund 4 Dec. 2001). Army and police units in the area reportedly offered "little or no" resistance, and some members of the security services were reported to have joined in the assaults (ibid.).

Laskar Jihad also reportedly carries out beheadings and forced circumcisions (BC Christian News Apr. 2001).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Amnesty International (AI). 28 June 2000. (AI Index: ASA 21/027/2000.) "Indonesia: Uphold Human Rights in Moluccas State." [Accessed 13 Feb. 2002]

Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2001. 26 October 2001. "Indonesia." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Accessed 18 Feb. 2002]

Asiaweek. 21 September 2001. Sangwon Suh. "An Islamic Fraternity?" (NEXIS)

Associated Press (AP). 24 January 2002. Slobodan Lekic. "Al-Qaida Planned Attack on US Embassy in Indonesia, Officials Say." (NEXIS)

The Australian. 28 January 2002. "Risks in Targeting Indonesia." (NEXIS)

Barnabas Fund. 4 December 2001. "Massive Assault Launched Against Christian Villages." [Accessed 12 Feb. 2002]

_____. 25 July 2000. "Genocide in Indonesia – Ambon Christians Told: Get Out by 31st or Die." [Accessed 12 Feb. 2002]

BC Christian News. April 2001. Vol. 21, No. 4. "'Jihad' Atrocities Documented." [Accessed 8 Feb. 2002]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2000. 23 February 2001. "Indonesia." [Accessed 13 Feb. 2002]

International Christian Concern (ICC). 4 February 2002. "Indonesia: Extremist Groups." [Accessed 13 Feb. 2002]

Jakarta Post. 4 December 2001. "Yuwono Still Missing As No One Claims Responsibility." (NEXIS)

Los Angeles Times. 22 October 2001. W. Scott Thompson. "Champagne in Jakarta; Challenges in the US; Not Everyone Shares the American View." (NEXIS)

_____. 13 March 2001. Richard C. Paddock. "'Purified' in the Name of Allah; Though Religious Fighting in Indonesia's Moluccas Has Claimed Lives on Both Sides, Christians Tell of Being Forced to Convert to Islam and Undergo Mutilations." (NEXIS)

The New York Times. 28 June 2000. Seth Mydans. "Indonesia Recoils at Island's Unchecked Wave of Killings." (NEXIS)

Pacific News Service. 27 September 2001. Ben Terrall. "Indonesia Is a Risky Ally in Terrorism Fight." [Accessed 8 Feb. 2002]

San Jose Mercury News. 19 January 2002. Karl Schoenberger. "Al-Qaida Lacking Kindred Spirits in Southeast Asia; Islamists Stick to Local Aims." (NEXIS)

Time Asia. 17 December 2001. Simon Elegant. Vol. 158, No. 24. "Indonesia's Dirty Little Holy War." [Accessed 8 Feb. 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

Jane's Terrorism and Security Monitor

Jane's World Insurgency and Terrorism

NEXIS

WNC

Internet sites including:

CNN

Guardian Unlimited

Human Rights Watch

Laskar Jihad Website