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Southeast Asia

Islamists jailed for beheading schoolgirls

2007-04-09

Three militant Islamists have been given prison sentences of up to 20 years for the beheadings of three Christian schoolgirls in 2005, welcome news to the Christians in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, according to a report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide. "We are pleased that justice has finally prevailed following the brutal attack on the three schoolgirls in 2005," said Mervyn Thomas, president of CSW. "However, the pattern of violence continues in Indonesia. We urge both the Christian and Muslim communities to work with the authorities in Central Sulawesi to put an end to this cycle of attacks once and for all. "We also ask the authorities to ensure that minorities are treated fairly and equally by the judiciary," he said. His concerns were echoed by others in the region, where several Christians also now are on trial for alleged terrorist activities, but they are facing a potential death penalty, officials reported. They were arrested for the murders of two Muslim men during demonstrations that followed the executions of three Christians last September, officials said. Islamist Hasanuddin, the son- in-law of Islamist militant leader Adnan Arsal, reportedly has trained in the Philippines with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He said the attack on the schoolgirls was in revenge for Christians killing Muslims during the early stages of the sectarian conflict in Central Sulawesi. Hasanuddin was given 20 years in prison for masterminding the attack in October 2005 in which the three girls were beheaded, and a fourth was seriously injured. According to CSW, his accomplices, Lilik Purnomo and Irwanto Irano, each got 14 years in prison. "Whilst the Christian community in the area welcomes the verdict, they are concerned that this and a recent crackdown on militants in the area will result in the authorities imposing harsher penalties on Christians in an attempt to be seen to treat both communities equally," CSW said. Noviana Malewa, after treatments to minimize scarring from the machete attack The schoolgirls were attacked while on their way to school that morning. The fourth, Noviana Malewa, was slashed horribly on her neck and face but managed to flee the area and survive. The militants put the heads of the three girls in plastic bags and dumped them in nearby villages with notes stating, "We still need another 100 heads. Blood for blood, a life for life and a head for a head." As WND reported, Noviana and three of her friends were walking on a school path Oct. 29, 2005, when they were assaulted by radical Islamic jihadists wielding machetes. Noviana fought back as she was struck, then fell to the ground and rolled down into a ravine. Above, she heard her friends screaming. She later had to be hidden in a Christian village and guarded by police because her testimony was needed in court, and the radical Muslims who had killed her friends still were hunting her. Authorities said Theresia Morangke, 15, Yarni Sambue, 15, and Alfita Poliwo, 17, were killed in the attack. Reports in the Jakarta Post said the Islamic suspects confessed to the fatal attack. Authorities reported the suspects have ties to Noordin Top, considered a key leader of the al-Qaida-linked group Jamaah Islamiyah.

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Southeast Asia

Survivor of deadly attack receiving rehab

2006-10-17

I dont recall seeing this posted here so thought I would share it. This is one of the four teenage girls the religion of peace and tolerence 'ministered' to.... Never forget. Posted to Persecuted Infidels in Indonesia so I placed it in Opinion. The only survivor of a machete attack by radical Muslims on four Christian high school girls successfully has had surgery on her massive injury, and officials with Voice of the Martyrs say they are working on additional treatments for her. Noviana Malewa and three of her friends were walking on a school path Oct 29, 2005, when they were assaulted by jihadists wielding machetes. Three of the girls were decapitated and Noviana suffered a massive slash that ran from her cheek to her neck. After being under police protection for several months, there were negotiations so she could be moved from her hiding place to the location of her hospitalization, according to an announcement from VOM yesterday. She recently underwent surgery in Surabaya, Indonesia, to address a number of complications from the injury, as well as the scarring, officials said. She had suffered from an involuntary tick in her eye, and another near her mouth, because of the deep cut. She also had severe nerve damage and a dislocated jaw, and deals with severe and sudden pain as well as the emotional trauma of having survived such a gruesome attack, officials said. Scar tissue is being treated. VOMedical said it was pleased to be able to help so far, and will continue to provide what help will be useful. "She must daily massage her face to stimulate nerve growth and expose her scarring to infra-red beam treatment for five minutes," VOM said. "Neuro-medicine therapy and skin salves must also be administrated on a daily basis." Help from a plastic surgeon reduced the scarring, which boosted her morale, officials said. VOM sources in Indonesia said the attack happened as the four girls were walking through a cocoa plantation on their way to a private Christian high school in Posa Kota subdistrict. Noviana, now 16, and Theresia Morangke, 15, Yarni Sambue, 15, and Alfita Poliwo, 17, were ambushed by six masked Islamic terrorists, who decapitated the three. Noviana survived because the sword slash did not make a direct connection and she ran away bleeding. Authorities reported the heads of the three girls were found in bags on the steps of a church and along a road, carrying a message, "We will murder 100 more Christian teenagers and their heads will be presented as presents." The Pakistan Christian Post reported that Noviana recalled streaming with blood. "All I could do was pray to Jesus for his help,' she said. The report said Muslim-Christian violence killed almost 1000 people on Sulawesi between 2000 and 2002, and a peace agreement has not halted the bombings, shootings and other attacks on Christians near Poso. Added by the poster at Persecuted Infidels in Indonesia: And we still wait for the assailants to be tried and convicted for the barbaric beheadings of the three schoolgirls. Please pray for the successful rehabilitation of Noviana's wound and that she will be safe from any other attacks.

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