Concern Over Radical Relief Group

[shuffnew]

This is not good news for the relief groups (especially Americans and Christian groups) with Al Qaeda connected group supposedly setting up shop in Indonesia as a "relief camp".. (if this post is dupe, feel free to delete it... I did not readily find it already posted)

Concern over radical relief group
Thursday, January 6, 2005 Posted: 7:59 PM EST (0059 GMT)

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) -- An extremist Islamic group with alleged al Qaeda links has set up a relief camp on Indonesia's tsunami-stricken Sumatra island, raising concerns it could stir up sentiment against U.S. and Australian troops helping distribute aid.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/06/aceh.radicals.ap/index.html

<snip>
"The Laskar Mujahidin group posted a sign at its camp that read -- in English -- "Islamic Law Enforcement."

Its members said Thursday they had been collecting corpses, distributing food and providing Islamic teaching for refugees in the predominantly Muslim Aceh province.

The presence of the extremist group, known for killing Christians in a sectarian conflict elsewhere in Indonesia, has generated fears that U.S. military personnel and other Westerners doing relief work could become terror targets."

<snip off>

[pdxmom]

1. I was concerned about this from the beginning

When I saw how many troops they were sending, and how the administration was touting that as proof of how wonderful and giving they were, I figured it was just a matter of time.

I caught a fleeting bit of a report yesterday as I was fixing dinner about how the people there, while appreciative about having the help, aren't happy about the military providing it and are still slamming the US.

[shuffnew]

3. Yep, all too familiar attitude toward the United States...

I do believe Kerry was 100% on target when he said that this adm would not be able to win back respect or get needed cooperation for other countries.

This adm has made such a mess, it is not clear to me that anyone can clean up the mess in our life times (esp. if they hold the White House until 2008!).

This adm will most definitely go down in history as the worst ever (IHMO).

Even India doesn't want our soldiers there according to the news reports I've been reading. And we send a lot of our American jobs their way (another "thanks" to this adm)!

Sad and pathetic situation, no doubt.

[FloridaPat]

2. I really have to wonder at this. Here is more "alleged" crap.

These countries are in total chaos. These people are teaching religion? Who has time to figure out who is who. And then you have a country in the middle of civil war and they start helping each other and people have fits. This whole thing sounds too wierd to me.

[shuffnew]

4. Yes, it does sound too wierd! n/t