The HMI branded Bush as war monger

Kazi Mahmood, IOL Correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR, January 25 (IslamOnline) - A larger number of Muslims and Islamic-based organizations in Indonesia lambasted the “arrogance” of the United States over its envisaged aggression on Iraq.

In a press conference held Saturday, January 25, the Islamic Student Movement (HMI), an umbrella organization representing a host of smaller Islamic groups, indicated that Muslims have started to mobilize for massive anti-war protests in the world’s largest Muslim country.

The umbrella group also comprises the Ulama Association of Indonesia (MUI), the Alumni Family of Islamic Student Organizations (KAHMI) and the Muslim Youth Organization of Indonesia (UIA).

A statement of the press conference was forwarded to IslamOnline with the comment that there will be widespread anti-U.S. protests in Jakarta in case of a U.S.-led war on Iraq.

The organizations insisted that the U.S. had no reasons to attack Baghdad and that the world’s sole superpower had failed to prove that the Iraqi regime had amassed weapons of mass destruction that could pose a threat to world peace and stability.

Citing the determination of the U.S. to unleash war on Iraq even without the support of the U.N., they branded American leaders, particularly U.S. President George Bush, as “war mongers”.

They also lashed out at British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Australian Premier John Howard and hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The organizations reaffirmed sympathy with the Iraqi people, who have suffered more than a decade of “inhuman” sanctions that killed thousands of innocents.

They urged Muslim countries to refrain from allowing the U.S. to use their cities or bases to attack Iraq.

The organizations also asked Muslim nations to impose an embargo on the supply of oil to the U.S. and its allies in case of a war on Iraq.

Pro-Saddam T-Shirts to Hit Streets of Jakarta

Pro-Saddam T-Shirts are set to hit the streets of Jakarta this week

Meanwhile, pro-Saddam T-Shirts are set to hit the streets of Jakarta this week, with a local production house distributing the T-Shirts to shops throughout the city.

The T-shirts shows a photo of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and will bear the following words: “Ready for war” and “We Support you”, the Jakarta Post said on Friday January 24, 2003.

Although not everyone supports Saddam in Indonesia, there is genuine concern for the Iraqi people and a conviction that Washington will attack Baghdad with or without U.N. backing, said the paper.

Diplomats and moderate Muslims expect massive protests in the event of any U.S.-led attack on Iraq.

Even U.N. backing for a war would go down poorly on the streets, stressed the Jakarta Post.

The paper also stressed that the Anglo-American military buildup in the Gulf is increasingly worrying moderate Muslim leaders and foreign security experts in Indonesia.