Islamists seek to isolate pro-bin Laden radicals

Indonesian Islamists seek to isolate pro-bin Laden radicals.
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Southeast Asia's biggest militant organization is apparently seeking to rein in its radical wing and invoke Islamic law against the indiscriminate anti-Western attacks demanded by
Osama bin Laden.

Analysts say Web sites and other forums affiliated with the Jemaah Islamiah network now feature religious tracts that call into question a 1998 decree from bin Laden that Muslims must hit Western targets worldwide in defense of their faith.

the network's clerics were trying to isolate the bombers by undercutting support for violent attacks.

"The ulama within JI wants to reimpose a classical understanding of Islamic law. The divergence of views on the (bin Laden) fatwa is greater than it was," he said.

Other tracts assert the traditional religious view that bombings are unlawful unless there is immediate danger to the Muslim community of believers, a circumstance that they say does not apply today.

In Islamic terms, it marks a return to the traditional reading of religious struggle, or "defensive jihad," which bars offensive action if Muslims are not directly threatened. And it reflects deep theological doubts about suicide bombings.

In practical terms, the deadly attacks drew unwanted attention from the Indonesian security forces, who arrested or killed a significant number of JI or affiliated activists.

The same crackdown dried up vital financing and broke up clandestine cells, while the high toll from the blasts among Indonesians discredited the militants in the eyes of many believers.