Posted on Tuesday, October 22 @ 10:21:27 ICT
Crusade against Islam

An Interview by Newsweek of Abu Bakar Bashir setup by the Kuffar of being behind the Bali bomb speaks highly of Osama bin Laden and claims that the United States bombed Bali to discredit Islam

NEWSWEEK: The United States, Britain, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore accuse you of being a terrorist and the leader of Jemaah Islamiah. Why would they make such public claims if there were no truth to them?

Abu Bakar Bashir: Those who called me a terrorist are non-Muslim countries, for example the U.S.A., Israel, Britain and Australia. Malaysia never labeled me as a terrorist, but they condemned me for being a teacher and attracting people to militant Islam. Why do the rest accuse me of being a terrorist? Because according to those non-Muslim countries, terrorists are … those who fight for Islam. They define it without enough evidence. But I myself have evidence that the real terrorists are the U.S.A. and Israel. It's very basic evidence.

In the past few days, some of those same countries strongly implied that you and Jemaah Islamiah were responsible for the Bali blasts. Your reaction?

It's normal. I am Muslim, and they are non-Muslim. Those countries are actively going against Islam, while I actively defend Islam. So they don't like me, and I don't like them.

Is it possible that some other Indonesian-based Islamic group, possibly linked to Al Qaeda, carried out the Bali bombing?

Definitely not. It was carried out by America. They probably hired some people who claim to be Muslims, or are amateur Muslims. [That's] a possibility, but I'm sure that America and Israel were the masterminds.

Most nations would dismiss that as a paranoid conspiracy theory. What is your evidence for such a claim?

There are some indications. First, the reason the Americans engineered this was to give them the justification [to say] that Indonesia is a terrorist nest. But there is nothing in Indonesia. It has not been proven. So America has created this to prove that there is such terror.

But even Indonesia's defense minister, Matori Abdul Djalil, has admitted that Al Qaeda is operating in Indonesia.

That official has probably been bought off, probably by America. It was their justification to say, "Terrorists are Islam and terrorists are Muslims." All the indications show that logically the Americans were responsible. The U.S.A. wants to dominate Indonesia, especially by weakening Islam in Indonesia. America has a big agenda to fight Islam around the world because Islam has become their main enemy since the fall of communism.

All the attention you're getting from Western governments and the media has created a perception that you're the new Osama bin Laden. What is your reaction to that?

Praise Allah. Osama bin Laden is a Muslim hero and warrior of God. Not a terrorist. The real terrorists are George Bush and Ariel Sharon. Osama bin Laden was acting in self-defense. He was defending Islam. He saw Islam being attacked, so he fought back. That's what we call a mujahedin, not a terrorist. America attacked Afghanistan first, without any reason. Israel kills Palestinians for no reason.

You previously said you supported the attack on the World Trade Center. If it were proven that Muslim extremists bombed Bali in defense of Islam, would you support that?

I never said I supported the World Trade Center [attack]. I only give moral support to Osama bin Laden for his struggle. As Muslims, we have solidarity even if we've never met. Because he is a believer and he fights based on Sharia [Islamic] law, we have to give him moral support and even physical support if possible. But because that's not possible, we give moral support.

But would you support the Bali bombing if Muslim fighters were behind them?

There's no "if"-it's impossible [that Muslims carried out the attacks]. I don't believe it. I'm very sure it was America. That powerful a bomb has never exploded before in Indonesia. Indonesians cannot make that kind of bomb.

If the Indonesian authorities use soon-to-be enacted emergency powers to arrest you without evidence, would you and your supporters resist?

Yes, I will fight the best I can. I have no such power, but I have many Muslim brothers. All the Muslim people are my brothers. If there is any Muslim being treated unfairly by others, he would be defended by his brothers.

Do you believe there is an ongoing war between Islam and the West?

I do. After the fall of communism, both the Jews and Christians truly believe the biggest enemy to their civilization is Islam. Other Muslim clerics have agreed that both Jews and Christians are promoting a new Crusade.

So in this so-called war, in which Al Qaeda has attacked the World Trade Center, you would understand if Christian militants would, say, attack Islamic boarding schools full of children?

Yes, that's a consequence of war.

Do you hate Americans, or just their government?

I hate the government, not the people. We have no problem with those who do not fight against Islam. We're only going to fight those who fight against Islam.

But Islam is said to be the fastest-growing religion in the United States.

That's a result of the arrogance of the American government. The bravery of the mujahedin has made a lot of people wonder, and has made Americans eager to know what Islam is about. That's why I'm not accusing all American people, because a lot of them don't know what's going on. I was told that a lot of Americans, after trying to understand and learn Islam, wonder why the mujahedin warriors are so brave and willing to die.

What is your opinion of Megawati Sukarnoputri's performance as president of Indonesia?

Megawati is a Muslim woman who doesn't really defend Islam. Her leadership will not be successful because, according to the Prophet Mohammed, a nation led by a woman-nothing personal against women-will not succeed. In Islam, women have their own place. They can lead, but in these places only. Not at the top.

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Terbitan : 26 Okt 2002

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