The government cannot stop Indonesians from travelling to Afghanistan to fight against any US attacks as long as they have proper documents, a minister said Wednesday.
"The government or the immigration cannot prevent anyone who has a passport from going overseas because it's very difficult to determine [their intentions]," Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra told reporters.
"What is against the law is for Indonesians to join a regular army in a foreign country but if they go as volunteers, we cannot stop them," Mahendra said.
Several militant Islamic groups say they plan to send jihad (holy war) warriors to Afghanistan if the US launches military operations against the country.
The Islamic Youth Movement says it has registered hundreds of volunteers for jihad in Afghanistan -- where Osama bin Laden, Washington's chief suspect in the September 11 terror attacks on New York and the Pentagon, is believed hiding.
Mahendra's comments contradicted those of immigration director Muhamad Indra.
Indra, quoted by Tuesday's Jakarta Post, said Indonesians who join any jihad in Afghanistan could lose their citizenship since they would be engaging in overseas military action without government consent.
Indra said immigration offices nationwide would be ordered not to issue the necessary travel documents.
"This country is not declaring war against another country," the immigration director was quoted as saying.
"Letting them enter Afghanistan and join military groups to fight the US and its allies is tantamount to us declaring war on the US."
Several militant Muslim groups have also threatened to "sweep" or search for citizens of countries which support any US attack on Afghanistan and to drive them out of Indonesia.
The US State Department last week told all Americans to consider leaving the country and authorized non-essential diplomatic staff to go if they wish.
Despite daily protests and threats, no foreigner has been reported harmed. But Jakarta nightspots popular with expatriates have reported a significant drop in business.
Staff at the Tanamur disco said they had suffered a 50 percent drop in business since a recent series of anti-American protests in the city -- JAKARTA (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
