http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/bashir-urges-howard-to-convert/2006/06/15/1149964643200.html
Bashir urges Howard to convert Ngruki, Indonesia June 15, 2006 - 8:57AM Firebrand cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has been greeted by a sea of supporters punching fists in the air and screaming "Allah hu Akbar", or God is Great, as he arrived home to his Java boarding school. After a brief stop to bathe his feet and pray, Bashir immediately launched into a brief sermon, telling thousands of students and onlookers seated in a dusty courtyard before him that Australian Prime Minister John Howard should "convert to Islam". Shaking off tiredness close to midnight, he also dismissed Australian and US descriptions of him as a terrorist leader, accusing western media of "twisting stories" about his beliefs. Lines of students in black martial arts outfits and red sashes formed a guard of honour in the narrow streets as Bashir arrived at the gates of the Al-Mukmin school in Ngruki, which has been described as an "Ivy League" finishing academy for Islamic militants. Hundreds more people waited in darkness outside shops and houses for a glimpse of the 68-year-old, who travelled home by road following his release from prison in Jakarta after serving a 25-month sentence for giving blessings to the 2002 Bali bombings. Banners hung over laneways outside the school's front gates echoed Bashir's radical brand of Jihadist teaching, saying "Be a good Muslim or die" and "There is no other choice - live nobly or die a martyr". As students and scores of bodyguards in black fatigues stamped to attention, Bashir thanked his supporters and lawyers, and said his jailing for almost four years had been part of a wider Islamic struggle between "good and evil, right and wrong". "The fight between right and wrong will never end until the end of days," he said. "Islam is the absolute truth. "I say to all infidels, it is useless to fight Islam for you will be destroyed and Islam will win absolutely." Onlookers roared approval as Bashir urged them to "fight fanatically" for their religion. The ageing cleric accused of being the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah described Islamic terrorists in Indonesia - many of whom were graduates of his school - as "mujahidin" holy warriors, although he said they had taken a "wrong step". "Their wrong step was to use a bomb as a weapon in a safe area," he said. "Bombs are only to be used in conflict areas. "In safe areas just preach, and we don't need bombs like that." Nevertheless, Bashir said the bombers - three of whom are on death row - were mujahidin "because their goals are on the path of Allah". Firebrand cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has been greeted by a sea of supporters punching fists in the air and screaming "Allah hu Akbar", or God is Great, as he arrived home to his Java boarding school. After a brief stop to bathe his feet and pray, Bashir immediately launched into a brief sermon, telling thousands of students and onlookers seated in a dusty courtyard before him that Australian Prime Minister John Howard should "convert to Islam". Shaking off tiredness close to midnight, he also dismissed Australian and US descriptions of him as a terrorist leader, accusing western media of "twisting stories" about his beliefs. Lines of students in black martial arts outfits and red sashes formed a guard of honour in the narrow streets as Bashir arrived at the gates of the Al-Mukmin school in Ngruki, which has been described as an "Ivy League" finishing academy for Islamic militants. Hundreds more people waited in darkness outside shops and houses for a glimpse of the 68-year-old, who travelled home by road following his release from prison in Jakarta after serving a 25-month sentence for giving blessings to the 2002 Bali bombings. Banners hung over laneways outside the school's front gates echoed Bashir's radical brand of Jihadist teaching, saying "Be a good Muslim or die" and "There is no other choice - live nobly or die a martyr". As students and scores of bodyguards in black fatigues stamped to attention, Bashir thanked his supporters and lawyers, and said his jailing for almost four years had been part of a wider Islamic struggle between "good and evil, right and wrong". "The fight between right and wrong will never end until the end of days," he said. "Islam is the absolute truth. "I say to all infidels, it is useless to fight Islam for you will be destroyed and Islam will win absolutely." Onlookers roared approval as Bashir urged them to "fight fanatically" for their religion. The ageing cleric accused of being the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah described Islamic terrorists in Indonesia - many of whom were graduates of his school - as "mujahidin" holy warriors, although he said they had taken a "wrong step". "Their wrong step was to use a bomb as a weapon in a safe area," he said. "Bombs are only to be used in conflict areas. "In safe areas just preach, and we don't need bombs like that." Nevertheless, Bashir said the bombers - three of whom are on death row - were mujahidin "because their goals are on the path of Allah". "Their goal was to defend Islam and Muslim people being slaughtered by America and infidels everywhere," he said to cheers and more punched fists. Bashir, whose convoy was escorted from the capital by police motorcycle outriders, stopped twice along the 500km journey to pray, including once in a service station prayer room, where he again slammed Australia's government as "kaffirs", or unbelievers. Entering home territory he was mobbed as he arrived at a hospital in the city of Solo for a brief medical checkover. But the most fervent show of support was inside the sprawling campus of the school he founded in 1972 and where Bashir plans to resume teaching his radical brand of jihadist education to almost 2000 students. Students, many of them young children in white Islamic-style outfits, sat patiently waiting for Bashir to arrive as others stood at attention in front of a dais set up under a white arched balcony out the front of the school's main building. One school graduate, Sofyan Hidayat, said he had returned from helping earthquake victims in nearby Yogyakarta to welcome Bashir home. "I thank God for this," he told AAP. "He is just an old man and I pity him, because he is not at fault." A teacher at the school, Arif, said Bashir's return would invigorate the students with "new spirit". Bashir was tomorrow planning to rest and members of his legal team said he may also visit quake victims to help console them. AAP [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/2pRQfA/bOaOAA/yQLSAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. 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