Enrolments Increase at Bashir’s School: Solo, Central Java

Indonesia has been seen by most western countries as having a tolerant Muslim society. However I read a disturbing article however on the TKB or Terrorism Knowledge Base website.

Apparently parents registering children Friday at the hardline Islamic boarding school founded by freed militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir shared none of the concerns of Western nations over Bashir's alleged terrorist links.The al-Mukmin boarding school has produced so many members of the al-Qaida linked group Jemaah Islamiyah that at least one international expert has dubbed it an "Ivy League" for Indonesian militants. Bashir founded al-Mukmin in 1972.

Bashir,s freedom has raised concerns he will energize Islamic radicals at the school by making impassioned speeches promoting a hardline interpretation of the faith. But parents, students and teachers were happy to have him back.

Some parents had even travelled hundreds of kilometres from all over Indonesia just to register their children at Bashir's school which already has a total number of 1,600 students. One man was quoted a saying "I have never heard him say it is OK to kill non-Muslims without any reason" adding that most people believe Bashir's arrest was politically motivated.

Perhaps with this zealous fervour, countries that once thought Indonesia was a tolerant Muslim nation will have second thoughts about their thoughts. This very well could be 'the year of living dangerously'.