The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 February 2002
"No Backing"
In a report by Lindsay Murdoch, the human rights activists ELSHAM claimed a militant Muslim group, Laskar Jihad, had sent more than 100 of its fighters in the Papua district of Fak Fak into military training camps it was operating there and that the Indonesian authorities, were backing the training given to the militia. ("Muslim infiltrators 'training Papuan militia"', Herald, January 22). This claim is baseless and misleading.A report from the Papuan police spokesman stated there are no military camps or militia in Fak Fak. On January 8 the district police raided a house in Fak Fak after receiving information that a man originally from Kesui, Kei Island, Maluku, a former sailor who lives in Fak Fak, had explosives and other kind of weapons at his house. A police raid netted explosives, grenades, hand-made weapons and poisonous arrows. Based on Martial Law No.12/1969 the man was arrested and will appear in court.
A number of people who live in Fak Fak originally came from Ambon/Maluku and often travel to and from Maluku to visit family or for business; however, they are not Laskar Jihad members. **
Deana Nilawati.
First Secretary
Indonesian Embassy. Yarralumla (ACT). January 30.
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Canberra - Australia