At least 5,000 Muslims in Madura in Indonesia's East Java province have registered themselves in a jihad (holy war) against the United States, the Antara News Agency reported Saturday.
The registration was a spontaneous response to the dissemination of 10,000 forms by Madurese Ulema calling for the defense of Afghanistan against U.S. attacks.
On Friday, the registration was preceded by prayers led by administrator of the Kayu Manis Islamic boarding school Khozin Abdullah.
In the course of the ceremony, general chairman of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Habib Riezi Shohab addressed the audience by telephone from the FPI headquarters in Jakarta.
In his 25-minute address, Habib appealed to Muslims throughout the world to be ready for a jihad against U.S. arrogance threatening Afghanistan with a military aggression.
He also urged the Indonesian government to sever diplomatic relations with the U.S. if the superpower attacked Afghanistan.
But if the U.S. changed its mind about attacking Afghanistan, he appealed to the Indonesian people to refrain from violence against Americans in Indonesia.
Anti-American demonstrations against possible American retaliation on Afghanistan have been coloring Jakarta and other cities across the country in recent days.
A group of Muslim students in Yogyakarta, Central Java, and Saturday held demonstrations asking the Indonesian government to withdraw from the United Nations.
Accusing the U.N. of taking side in the U.S.' planned retaliatory attack on Afghanistan, the students also asked the disbandment of the world body.
(Xinhua News Agency 09/29/2001)
