Religious Leaders Told to be Vigilant

Religious leaders across the city have been told to be watch out for suspicious activities in their neighborhoods that could lead to terrorism.

As influential figures in their communities, religious leaders are expected to disseminate information across their communities to prevent their neighborhoods from being infiltrated by terrorist cells, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Wahyono said Thursday.

He said different interpretations of religious teachings, possibly at the root of terrorism, might have spread across the community as a result of residents’ indifference , or tolerance of each other.

“Most people are unwilling to find out about other people’s business, and easily welcome new people into their communities as their relatives, just because they are also Muslim. They are not vigilant enough,” he said in front of some 700 participants at a briefing on terrorist threats.

Members of several religious forums attended the briefing, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Indonesian Church Union (PGI), Persada Hindu, representatives of the Buddhist community in Indonesia (Walubi) and the High Council of Confucianism (Matakin).