Dear Friends of the Earth Australia,

[...]

At the outset I would like to introduce myself: my name is Richard Ness, I am an American citizen and I live in Indonesia. I work for the Newmont Mining Company in Indonesia; however I write this particular communication as a private person and it entirely represents my own thoughts and responses and is in no way connected to my employer, the Newmont Mining Company.

I suspect that your recent posting was made in haste and without full appreciation of the true facts on the ground. Though, I suspect that the Senator has access to more information than I, let me share with you what I do know, which may shed some light on the reality that exists here in Indonesia. I will not speculate in this e-mail and I will provide the sources of my information for your scrutiny. Like you, I am opposed to making any “wild accusations” – but when accusations are based on hard information and facts, you may then find that your Indonesian counterpart does in fact cooperate with a number of terrorist linked groups.

First, let us examine WALHI’s relationships: the first being with Forum Umat Islam.

Take a look at this flyer [attachment 1] that was passed out on 19 July 2007 at the South Jakarta District Court during the session of the ongoing civil case between WALHI and Newmont Minahasa Raya. The flyer in poster size form was also held up in front of the court by protestors. As you can see the flyer is a joint statement from WALHI and Forum Umat Islam.

Forum Umat Islam is an organization comprised of representation of at least three other Islamic organizations: namely Majelis Mujahideen of Indonesia ( MMI), Hizb-ut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and Front Pembela Islam and maybe more. According to its own documents, these are the groups that WALHI is associating with on this campaign.

The WALHI – Forum Umat Islam demonstration was covered by the national media the following day. I have attached photographs from two Indonesian newspapers [ Kontran – Attachment 2 and Republica – Attachment 3] for your reference and one photo from the web [link - okezone.com ] which clearly state the coalition of WALHI and MMI [attachment 4].

Now lets take a look at the message that WALHI & Forum Umat Islam were promoting that day:

The flyer [attachment 1] states that (a) Newmont is the enemy of the environment, (b) the elite police counter-terrorism organization Detachment 88 is the enemy of the people (Detachment 88, is supported by the Australian Government and is credited with catching the bombers who killed your countryman as well as Indonesians in Bali and blew up your embassy in Jakarta) , and (c) Bush is the enemy of the world. Likewise, the flyer in attachment 4 states that Detachment 88 is the same as Newmont, that both are toys of America, and that the people should disband the counterterrorism group and expel Newmont from Indonesian territory.

As an Australian, you may be interested to know that Detachment 88 was named specifically to commemorate the 88 Australians that were horrifically killed in the first Bali bombing. It was this elite counterterrorism units vow to bring those dreadful perpetrators of this sinister conspiracy to justice and this group has been highly successful with a string of militant arrests in recent years.

Friends of the Earth Australia need to ask yourselves one simple question, why are Friends of the Earth Indonesia – ostensibly an environmental group - protesting against Indonesia’s counter terrorism unit??? Surely the disbanding of foreign countries’ counterterrorism groups is not part of Friends of the Earth’s platform!

Perhaps equal in importance to the content of the message are the individuals who appear to be promoting it. The man with the beard dressed in white seen in attachments 2 & 3 is Abu Bakar Bashir, who is an active member of Forum Umat Islam. In attachment 2 for example Bashir is seated directly next to the poster size flyer. As you likely already know, Abu Bakar Bashir is a self-proclaimed admirer of Osama bin Laden, and is reportedly the spiritual leader if not the direct leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). Friends of the Earth Australia may find it of interest to know that the boarding school al-Mukmin in Ngruki in Central Java which Bashir runs has graduated several of the men associated with the bombings carried out in the Bali nightclub, at the Jakarta Marriott Hotel and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, which killed and injured hundreds of people. Abu Bakar Bashir is also the head of Majelis Mujahideen of Indonesia ( MMI) which roughly translates into the “board of warriors who struggle for Islam”. They have sent many jihadist or fighters to the Middle East to assist the Taliban in Afghanistan and Sunni insurgents in Iraq, as well as help maintain an active lobby and fight for Indonesia as an Islamic State. It is believed their long term goals encompass the incorporation of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the southern parts of Thailand and Philippines into one large Islamic caliphate.

Also you may find it of interest that Munarman, the attorney for Hizb-ut Tahrir and the former head of YLBH or the legal aid society represented Form Umat Islam in this court session. Munarman is a close associate of Walhi and interestingly is one Bashir’s personal lawyers.

The man sitting next to Bashir (left in the picture in attachment 2) is Muhammad Al Khaththah, the head of Hizb-ut Tahrir in Indonesia. As you may know, Hizb-ut Tahrir is a world organization that aims at eliminating other forms of government by forming a world caliphate or Muslim government, to run countries under sharia law. It was reported in the Singapore Straits Times on 22 April 2006 [attachment 6] that Chalid Muhammad, the Friends of the Earth Indonesia / Walhi Executive Director is a member of Hizb-ut Tahrir . That same article went further on to state that “the Walhi Chairman took part in recent violent demonstrations outside the US embassy, wearing full Islamic robes.” While Hizb-ut Tahrir is banned in most of Europe, the Middle East (including Saudi Arabia), and even China as a terrorist organization, it still manages to operate in places like Indonesia, Australia, and the UK. Barry Rubin of the Institute for Near East Policy says the group has been banned in the Middle East because people there understand the dangers, but is allowed to continue operating in some countries because their governments fail to appreciate the fact that this group mentally prepares people for terrorism. Friends of the Earth UK may be able to provide you additional information, as I believe it was from a fringe group of HT London where the London subway bombers were recruited from.

Now let us explore some of WALHI’s other terrorist- linked associations. Walhi has had a long standing relationship with The Medical Emergency Rescue Committee is an Islamic organization with strong ties to WALHI and they have issued several joint or supportive press statements. A simple web search of Mer- C and WALHI will net you over 200 matches. MER-C’s founder Dr. Jose Rizal Jurnalis is a close supporter of Bashir and some of the organization’s members have been linked to terrorist attacks. [See Australian Financial Review Wednesday, September 27, 2006 in attachment 5]. Jose Rizal is Bashir’s doctor and he accompanied Bashir back to Solo when Bashir was released from prison.

Zachary Abuza [Jamestown Foundation], an expert on terrorism and Islamist militants, states in numerous articles that MMI, Mer-C and JI are linked to each other. In 2000-2001, MER-C produced two well-publicized jihad videos for fundraising purposes. MER-C', like some MMI personnel, have operations abroad - particularly in Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan. These activities have also raised some concerns by counterterrorist personnel. Indeed the MER-C website states that they operate in the tribal areas of Pakistan with the support and permission of the Taliban. JI and Mer-C members have been shot or captured together in the southern Thailand while training insurgents [Bangkok Post, May 20, 2004]

Though MER-C has changed its web site, prior versions publicized MER-C’s donations to the families of terrorists responsible for the aforementioned bombings. [May need to use way back machine on the web as Mer-C recently changed their website].

Let me Summarize:
(1) Friends of the Earth Indonesia / WALHI has a working relationship with Form Umat Islam, MMI, HTI and Mer-C. This is not speculation; but instead an irrefutable fact.
(2) Friends of the Earth Indonesia / WALHI’s Executive Director is alleged to also be an active member in Hizb-ut Tahrir
(3) Friends of the Earth Indonesia / WALHI have directly protested against and wish to disband counterterrorism efforts within Indonesia. This too is irrefutable: just take a look a look at the WALHI/Forum Umat Islam flyers.
(4) Individuals associated with Friends of the Earth Indonesia / WALHI run a boarding school from which many of the Bali, Marriot Hotel and Australian Embassy bombers came.
(5) Other individuals associated with Friends of the Earth Indonesia/ WALHI in particular those from MER-C provided financial support to the families of the bombers.

WALHI is protesting to disband the very organization that is supported by Australia and has brought many of the terrorists that killed your countrymen to justice. Is this environmental activism? Or is it activism in support of terrorism?

Let us be honest with each other. I do not think all of WALHI is involved with terrorist groups, at least not all of its regional chapters. However, some top individuals from all the organizations mentioned above are working together in some fashion and it is not for the preservation of the environment. The Buyat Bay hoax and the attack on Indonesia’s counterterrorism group by Friends of the Earth Indonesia / WALHI are both testaments to this fact.

You may wish to consider revising your statement on the web or removing it all together. I do not know in what context the Honorable Senator made his statement before the Parliament but it may not be all that outrageous – it may in fact be spot on.

I am all for environmental preservation – I care for the environment, the right of free speech, the right to assemble, and the right to form one’s own opinion. However, unfortunately, the environmental movement (which is a noble cause) often gets hijacked by people with various political agendas. No one benefits from these types of unscrupulous actions – especially not the environment!

I hope you find the above information useful. Over the past few years I have watched WALHI’s unholy alliances unfold before my own eyes. I for one hope WALHI morphs back to the environmental umbrella organization it once was and stays out of politics and religious activism.

Sincerely,
Richard B. Ness