ABU Bakir Bashir, the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah, has outlined the religious justification for terror attacks in Bali, London and New York and urged jihadists to embrace nuclear weapons "if necessary".
In a chilling interview last month in the Jakarta cell where he remains after his conspiracy conviction in relation to the 2002 Bali bombings, the radical Muslim cleric also warned of a clash of civilisations that would not end until the West "accepts to be governed by Islam".
The alleged terrorist leader speaks of his hopes of meeting Osama bin Laden if he is released from prison and explains the justification for suicide bombers and terror attacks. "During battle it is different. Still, the whole notion revolves around martyrdom," he says. "But in places like London and in America there must be other calculations. In battle it is best to cause as many casualties as possible."
Published a fortnight ago by the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation, the interview was conducted by Scott Atran on August 13 and 15 at Cipinang Prison in Jakarta.
Asked about his personal views regarding the bombings in his homeland, including the Bali bombings in 2002 and the Marriott bombing in 2003, Bashir praises the bombers. "I call those who carried out these actions all mujahid," he says.
"They all had a good intention, that is, jihad in Allah's way, the aim of the jihad is to look for blessing from Allah.
"They are right that America is the proper target because America fights Islam. So in terms of their objectives, they are right, and the target of their attacks was right also.
"No, they didn't attack because they defended themselves. They shouldn't be punished."
In the interview, Bashir urges parents to understand the reward their children will secure if they join the jihad against Westerners.
"If the martyr's family understands Islam deeply, they will obtain many rewards," he says.
"Their reward will come, if they understand. A martyr must have ikhlas (sincerity). The parent who understands this concept must be thankful to Allah.
"This is the spirit of jihad that most scares the infidels. This is a moral force."
Bashir also describes one of the 2002 Bali bombs as "a Jewish bomb". "That bomb was a CIA Jewish bomb. You are stupid to punish Amrozi if he really knows how to make such a bomb," he says. "You should hire him to be a military consultant, because there is no military or police person (in Indonesia) who can make such a bomb. If Amrozi really did make that bomb, he deserves the Nobel Prize. So, the death penalty is not fair."
However, he argues there is little Westerners can do to avoid further conflict.
Bashir also says he recently sent a letter to US President George W. Bush via the US embassy in Jakarta.
"They have to stop fighting Islam, but that's impossible because it is sunnatullah (destiny, a law of nature), as Allah has said in the Koran," he says.
"They will constantly be enemies. But they'll lose. I say this not because I am able to predict the future but they will lose and Islam will win. Islam must win and Westerners will be destroyed. If they refuse to be under Islam, it will be chaos. Full stop. If they want to have peace, they have to accept to be governed by Islam." |