Committing murder and mayhem and believing it to be his religious duty to do so. This religious duty is the key to understanding his goals and motives, and it is the one thing that our government and law enforcement authorities have decided is beyond the bounds of legitimate investigation. "Indonesian Said 'God Is Great' as Hotels Attacked," from Reuters, February 10:
JAKARTA (Reuters) - An Indonesian suspect went on trial on Wednesday charged in connection with bomb attacks on two luxury hotels in Jakarta and a plan to assassinate President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.Amir Abdillah, 34, is the first to appear of a group of defendants believed to have taken orders from Noordin Mohammad Top, the head of a violent wing of militant Islamic group Jemaah Islamiah, which police said was behind the attacks.
State prosecutor Totok Bambang told South Jakarta Court Abdillah helped other group members to launch suicide bomb attacks at the Ritz Carlton and J.W. Marriott hotels in July 2009, in which 11 people were killed, including the suicide bombers, and 53 wounded.
"The defendant was involved and was aware of the plan and the implementation of the terror acts... The defendant also knew there would be another bombing targeting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," another prosecutor, Kiki Ahmad Yani, told the court.
Prosecutors said Abdillah was nearby on the morning of the hotel attacks, and, according to his statements to police, said "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," before and after the bombs exploded....
So, just to play devil's advocate, sharpen your pens:
Allahu akbar is no different than a Westerner...Christian, atheist, agnostic or otherwise, saying 'Oh my God' or 'Jesus Christ'. It's just an excited utterance with no basis in theology. One can't infer anything about the terrorists motives by its use.
Well, especially because he's from that bastion of enlightenment and charity, Jamaat al-Islamiah (doncha know it's more moderate in Indonesia).
(Off topic.)
The following happened at UC/Irvine two days ago:
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Editorials/Article.aspx?id=168254
Meanwhile the following editorial was printed in UC/Irvine's student paper today:
http://www.newuniversity.org/2010/02/opinion/letter-to-the-editor-msus-responds-to-michael-orens-visit/
I'd encourage anyone, who has the time or inclination, to write a comment addressed to this editorial.
One warning. UC/Irvine carefully monitors all comments sent in. I have had many comments thrown into cyberspace's garbage bin. Be as PC as you can stomach being if you want your comment to reach the light of day.
It's cultural and has nothing to do with Islam.......
All I can say is if you have a name like Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono you really should expect assassination attempts.
Let's not lose sight of the Indonesian-based Islamic jihad group in all this: JEMAAH ISLAMIAH
http://www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/nationalsecurity.nsf/Page/What_Governments_are_doing_Listing_of_Terrorism_Organisations_Jemahh_Islamiyah
And here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jemaah_Islamiyah
The Italians use a phrase, the contents of which could also be construed to mean an inducement to become violent. It is: "Abba fan gula" which translates as: "Up your ass". I suppose if this phrase was said by someone who was being pressured by mozoids to convert to their barbarism it could be considered an inflammatory remark. Oh well, I guess every culture and ethnic group and race has their own brand of seditious language (LOL/sarc)