Muslims Protest Radical Leader

(Jakarta, Indonesia) Although anecdotal, this report indicates that average everyday Muslims do occasionally stand up to terrorists.

Tensions were high in Banten early on Sunday when radical Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was confronted by angry residents and asked to leave their village.

About 50 people surrounded a house in Kaujon village, Serang, where the former head of the hard-line Indonesian Mujahideen Council (MMI) was visiting. They demanded Bashir leave because his presence caused concern among residents.

But Bashir refused to leave, saying he was invited to attend an event at his friend’s house. “On what grounds do you reject me? I’m only visiting and attending a Koranic recital — I am not a terrorist,” he told the residents. [...]

The angry residents would not accept Bashir’s argument and one of the protesters, Lukman Hakim, who is also a member of the provincial legislative council (DPRD), nearly came to blows with one of Bashir’s guards. A village elder, however, managed to defuse the situation.

Of course, Bashir used the episode as an opportunity to bash his detractors, calling the residents "people who dislike the unity of Indonesians."

Ultimately, though, the residents allowed Bashir to stay, making the incident an insignificant blip on the religion of peace radar. Regarding his appearance in a small village outside Jakarta, I don't buy the Koranic recital story. I'd suggest he's attending a terrorism planning session. It's his forte.

Incidentally, the 70-year-old Bashir calls moderate Indonesian Muslim groups "Jewish organizations" and vows to launch a new Islamist group called Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid ("partisans of the oneness of God") to push for pure Islamic law.

As a personal observation and maybe it's just me, but every picture I've seen of Bashir has him looking like he's wearing lipstick or he just finished sucking on a cherry-flavored popsicle. Readers can decide.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.