Alex Spillius

Climate of terror

Alex Spillius on how moderate Islam in Indonesia has been infiltrated by Arab-leaning extremists - with murderous consequences

issue 19 October 2002

Denpaser

SEVERAL days after the bombs, the people of Bali, and tourists who have stayed on, are still in profound shock, still asking, ‘Why here? Why us?’ This was not an American embassy or military base, so why Bali? Yet in the twisted minds of the bombers an entertainment zone packed with alcohol-fuelled Westerners was the perfect target, and the warning signals that something big was being planned in south-east Asia had been flashing for months, if not years.

For some time Indonesian Islamic militias have targeted nightclubs frequented by Westerners, as well as brothels favoured by local men. Such assaults were mostly with sticks and stones. Last year militiamen of the Islamic Defenders Front bearing wooden clubs stormed into JJ’s nightclub in Jakarta. They cleared the dancefloor as thumping house music continued to pound out of the speakers.

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