More Arrests In Indonesian Islamic Terror Plot To Blow Up Christian Cathedral, TV Cameraman Had Been Recruited To Film Bombing

All I can say is that if this islamic terror plot had been successful, the carnage in Indonesia would have been mind boggling and now, it is coming out that even a TV journalist, a cameraman, had been recruited by the terrorists to film the entire bombing of the huge Christian cathedral.

From the report at Breitbart:

A TV news cameraman arrested in Indonesian bomb plots had been recruited to film and broadcast the group's terrorist acts, including a foiled Good Friday church attack, police said Saturday.

Global-TV cameraman Imam Firdaus was among 20 suspects arrested in a series of anti-terror raids this week, national police spokesman Col. Boy Rafli Amar said.

The arrests led police to sprawling 3,000-seat Christ Cathedral Church in Serpong, a Jakarta suburb, where they uncovered and safely defused nine bombs, several weighing up to 175 pounds (80 kilograms).

Some were placed under a gas pipeline, and others in bags and plastic containers filled with high-explosive chemicals. The bombs were timed to explode Friday morning.

Just think about that...bombs place under a gas pipeline and then fast forward to a church filled with close to 3,000 Christians (not to mention how many people would be outside in the street). If this had been set off, we could have seen the largest number of dead in an islamic terror attack since 9/11.

This shows the patience of the islamists. For them to have planted all of these bombs unnoticed probably took months. The whole plot probably took over a year to coordinate and bring to the point where it was discovered. And of course, the question is whether this is the only target they had specified or is there another church or another building that has the same explosives already planted under it?

The AP writer of this article goes out of his way to explain at the end that Indonesia is a really moderate Muslim country and there's just a very few extremists...well, there's 20 of these "few" already arrested in this operation and it will probably continue to grow. It's interesting to see how the AP is burying its head in the sand like most of the appeasers here in the West.

20th arrest in Indonesian bomb plots is journalist


JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A TV news cameraman arrested in Indonesian bomb plots had been recruited to film and broadcast the group's terrorist acts, including a foiled Good Friday church attack, police said Saturday.

Global-TV cameraman Imam Firdaus was among 20 suspects arrested in a series of anti-terror raids this week, national police spokesman Col. Boy Rafli Amar said.

"He is now being questioned to determine his role in the group," Amar said, adding that Firdaus was offered by another suspect, Pepi Fernando, who was believed to be the group leader.

Arya Sinulingga, news director of the Jakarta-based Global-TV, confirmed Firdaus worked there and expressed remorse over the involvement of media employees in terrorism.

The 20 arrests were made as part of an investigation of mail bombs sent last month in Jakarta to targets the perpetrators blamed for "sins against Islam."

The arrests led police to sprawling 3,000-seat Christ Cathedral Church in Serpong, a Jakarta suburb, where they uncovered and safely defused nine bombs, several weighing up to 175 pounds (80 kilograms).

Some were placed under a gas pipeline, and others in bags and plastic containers filled with high-explosive chemicals. The bombs were timed to explode Friday morning.

Terror suspects in Indonesia can be detained for investigation for up to seven days, then must be charged or released.

Families of the suspects did not want to speak to the media. Friends of Firdaus have been quoted as saying he attended an Islamic university but had secular beliefs.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has been battling extremists since 2002 when al-Qaida-linked militants attacked two nightclubs on Bali island, killing 202 people, many of them foreign tourists.

Several attacks since then targeted glitzy hotels, restaurants and an embassy, but they have been much less deadly and the last occurred two years ago.

Ninety percent of Indonesians are Muslim, though most practice a moderate form of the faith and abhor violence. A small, extremist fringe has become more vocal, and violent, in recent years.

Indonesia Is Hit With First Ever Suicide Bombing Inside a Mosque, 28 Wounded

Indonesia's Muslims "celebrated" a first today as a suicide bomber detonated his belt inside of a mosque wounding 28 people - this was the first mosque ever attacked in the country's history. Well, Indonesia, welcome to the new world of Islamic terror - it won't be your last mosque that gets hit. When the jihadis get the scent of smoke and blood and limbs, they always come back for more.

From the story at The Long War Journal:

A suicide bomber wounded 28 Indonesians in an attack inside a mosque during Friday prayers. The attack in a mosque is the first of its kind in the Southeast Asian country.

The suicide bomber detonated a waist bag packed with explosives inside the Cirebon police mosque at noontime prayers, a busy period. Eighty percent of the people who attend the mosque are said to be policemen. The Cirebon police chief was among those wounded in the blast.

The bomber wore "a jacket, a hat, and brought a prayer rug" to the service, according to The Jakarta Post. As prayers began, he moved forward and then detonated his vest.

Police have recovered the body of the suicide bomber and hope to be able to identify him. "The corpse was badly injured in the back, but the face was still identifiable," Indonesia's national police chief told The Jakarta Post.

Today's suicide bombing is the first recorded attack inside a mosque in Indonesia. Al Qaeda and allied groups such as the Taliban have carried out numerous attacks inside mosques in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia.

We have to understand that right now, Islam is on an absolute rampage. Every continent and nearly every country is witnessing the height of islamic violence and rage - the death count looks like a Wall Street stock ticker.

We are seeing islamists killing Christians, we are seeing them kill fellow Muslims, we are seeing them kill women and children....hell, we are seeing them kill anything that bloody moves.

At what point in time are all of the countries of the world who are NOT dominated by Islam going to sit down and devise a solid plan of fighting off this scourge? At what point in time to men of the West decide to live instead of die?

Suicide bomber detonates inside Indonesia mosque


A suicide bomber wounded 28 Indonesians in an attack inside a mosque during Friday prayers. The attack in a mosque is the first of its kind in the Southeast Asian country.

The suicide bomber detonated a waist bag packed with explosives inside the Cirebon police mosque at noontime prayers, a busy period. Eighty percent of the people who attend the mosque are said to be policemen. The Cirebon police chief was among those wounded in the blast.

The bomber wore "a jacket, a hat, and brought a prayer rug" to the service, according to The Jakarta Post. As prayers began, he moved forward and then detonated his vest.

Police have recovered the body of the suicide bomber and hope to be able to identify him. "The corpse was badly injured in the back, but the face was still identifiable," Indonesia's national police chief told The Jakarta Post.

Today's suicide bombing is the first recorded attack inside a mosque in Indonesia. Al Qaeda and allied groups such as the Taliban have carried out numerous attacks inside mosques in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia.

Jemaah Islamiyah, the al Qaeda affiliate in Southeast Asia, has previously targeted locations where foreigners would congregate, such as embassies, hotels, and night clubs.

Al Qaeda in Aceh, a Jemaah Islamiyah subgroup sponsored by Abu Bakar Bashir, JI's founder and spiritual leader, has also plotted and carried out attacks against Indonesian police and counterterrorism forces. Bashir is currently on trial for supporting Al Qaeda in Aceh and can receive the death penalty if convicted.

Today's attack takes place two weeks after Pakistani officials captured Umar Patek, a top Jemaah Islamiyah operative and one of the most wanted members of the group. Patek is believed to have traveled to Pakistan to meet with high-level al Qaeda commanders.

Mt Tangkubanperahu for a birthday present

Ablai on his first climb at 8 years. The crater lake of Mt.Tangkubanperahu in the background

A week ago, Naila asked me "what do you want for your birthday ?" Thinking carefully, I responded, " a volcano, or at least to climb one on my birthday."

With my 8 year old son Ablai and my good North Korean friend Choe, the dream came true yesterday. Whew! what a slog. It doesn't get any easier as your birthdays fly by. But the joy of taking Ablai on his first climb, 3 hours from the crater rim to the highest point and back again, was a birthday present to remember forever. Also my colleague and friend Choe, who just arrived in Indonesia 3 weeks ago, was thrilled to climb a volcano and get out of Jakarta for the first time.



Mt. Tangkubanperahu erupted thousands of years ago damming the Citarum River and causing a vast lake. Two millenia ago, an earthquake opened crack in the side of the Lake and appeared in the Lake and drained leaving behind fertile alluvial deposits and and swampy ponds that have since been filled in.

This morning Ablai awoke and came running into the room, and said " Dad, look at the volcanoe we climbed yesterday." Sure enought there were the two main grouping of volcanoes on the horizon that you can see from Jakarta on a fine morning. Mt. Tangkubanperahu to the South East and Mt. Gede and Pangrano to the South West. For Ablai and I the view from our apartment has taken on more meaning and now we are thinking about climbing Mt. Gede and Pangrano, longer overnight climbs and more serious. Hopefully I will get two knee replacement soon so I can throw away the Voltaren and climb with speed and ease again like the old days.

The crater Lake and Mt Tangkubanperahu behind





Looking into the crater which belches steam and emits a strong suplhurous samell