Former Indonesian Militants Provide Guidance to New Terrorists

In Indonesia, security and religious analysts say the planned bombing of a church and recent attacks on the police and moderate Muslim leaders, show that violent extremist groups are growing closer to non-violent Islamist organizations to draw in new militants. They say the Southeast Asian terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah is aligning with legal fundamentalist groups that provide ideological guidance and support to justify attacks against other Indonesians.

Indonesian police say the 20 suspects recently arrested for planting explosives near a church on the outskirts of Jakarta were also involved in a number of book bombs sent to moderate Muslim leaders. They are still investigating if there is any operational link between this terrorist cell and the suicide bomber who blew himself up in a police mosque earlier this month. But Indonesia’s National Counter-Terrorism Agency says the suspects have all been involved in the terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah or other radical groups.

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