Militants Hit Indonesia Police

[Vanhelsing]

MEDAN, Indonesia — Two suspected militants on Sunday attacked a provincial police headquarters in western Indonesia, leaving an officer and an assailant dead during Islam’s most important holiday, an official said.

The men wielding a knife and a machete stormed the police headquarters in North Sumatra’s provincial capital of Medan and stabbed to death an officer who was at his post, said National Police spokesman Setyo Wasisto.

Responding officers shot the two attackers, killing one and seriously wounding the other, he said.

Full Report https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...12026319da7_story.html?utm_term=.b7a64b71c83b

 

[William King]

arses. RIP the policeman.

 

[R Cameron]

I can only vaguely remember the discussions surrounding the Jakarta attack last year on the police post...

What is the rationale behind muslim fundamentalists attacking police? Do they do things to anger the muslim community? Are police in Medan mostly non-muslim? Or since it's a holiday they assume everyone working will be non-muslim (but then what about the jakarta attack?)?

 

[waarmstrong]

The presumption that there is a logical, rational explanation for the actions of Islamic militants is probably not a productive road to travel.

 

[Davita]

Given the posts in the thread 'Torture occurs ...Indonesia' I wouldn't be surprised we get some answers when the wounded guy starts to squeal...

 

[mauricio]

I can only vaguely remember the discussions surrounding the Jakarta attack last year on the police post...

What is the rationale behind muslim fundamentalists attacking police? Do they do things to anger the muslim community? Are police in Medan mostly non-muslim? Or since it's a holiday they assume everyone working will be non-muslim (but then what about the jakarta attack?)?

But, says Solitario, the Maute brothers were not interested in compromise or in greater political autonomy for the Maranao. They were against non-Muslims interfering in their affairs. They were also against Shia Muslims and “obstructionist” Sunni Muslims. And they were prepared to kill them. Says Solitario: “[They told me] we have to do a cleansing process. We do not want Muslims to be neutral. They either have to join us or be our opponent: you are with us or you are against us.” Solitario isn’t sure whether the Maute brothers picked up their ideology during their schooling in Jordan and Egypt, or from family connections to Indonesia and possibly JI. Either way, he says, “when they arrived [back from overseas] they brought with them that virus.”

Besides Solitario, most Marawi citizens, Muslims and Christians alike, who tired of conflict and want to defeat that virus. Among them is clan chief Lucman. When the fighting broke out on May 23, some 70 people—mostly Christians—fled to his large house in Marawi. After sheltering them for 10 days and then leading them past Maute checkpoints to safety, Lucman shared his story with TIME. On two occasions, Lucman said, armed men came to his gate asking to come inside. The first time, he didn’t recognize the ISIS fighters. They were not local Maranao, and quoted Koranic verses at him. Lucman, who studied Islamic jurisprudence at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, turned them away. “Nothing comes out of their indoctrination: killing innocent civilians, distorting the teachings of Islam, and destroying their own communities.”

The second time, ISIS sent a Maranao. Lucman recognized the 28-year old in the black uniform as one of his distant relatives. “I said, what are you doing with that gun? He said, this is jihad. I told him, there’s no way you can win, take off your clothes, I will hide you, I will talk to the government for you to surrender. He said: ‘No, I will die.’”

Above from last 3 paragraphs http://time.com/marawi-philippines-isis/

They attacked the police because they are considered "obstructionist" Sunni Muslims... they are infected with the virus.

 

[R Cameron]

The presumption that there is a logical, rational explanation for the actions of Islamic militants is probably not a productive road to travel.

I certainly don't expect an explanation that justifies the action, but typically the target seems more logical to me. No matter how much I disagree, I can understand a little how the US and UK can be viewed as "the enemy" by the Islamic extremist, and to target the World Trade Center or an Ariana Grande concert is despicable, but effective. Even the violence between Islamic sects is somewhat understandable. But in what way would the police be viewed as "the enemy"?

edit:

They attacked the police because they are considered "obstructionist" Sunni Muslims... they are infected with the virus.

Ah, thank you. I still can't comprehend the why, but that gives my understanding a direction to work towards.

 

[dafluff]

I can only vaguely remember the discussions surrounding the Jakarta attack last year on the police post...

What is the rationale behind muslim fundamentalists attacking police? Do they do things to anger the muslim community? Are police in Medan mostly non-muslim? Or since it's a holiday they assume everyone working will be non-muslim (but then what about the jakarta attack?)?

Among the Islamist radicals in Indonesia, the reasoning goes that since Indonesia is not an Islamic country and does not follow Islamic law, it is an apostate country. They refer to Surah Al-Maidah:44, in particular the last bit " those who do not judge by the law which Allah has revealed, are indeed kafirs". Since the police obviously follow Indonesian law, they are deemed as infidels.

 

[dafluff]

Another attack on police officers happened yesterday. A brazen stabbing after prayers at a mosque right across the street from Indonesian Police headquarters in Jakarta. Two police officers were injured, while the perpetrator was shot and killed. It was reported that the attacker yelled "Taghut" at while attacking his victims.

http://www.tribunnews.com/nasional/...gota-brimob-di-dekat-mabes-polri-versi-polisi