Cozying Up in Bali

CONVICTED Bali nightclub bombers have feasted on kebabs with Indonesia's anti-terrorism chief at an evening party held at his house.

The party, which brought together more than 20 Muslim hardliners and former terrorists who have shown "regret" for their actions, was the latest "soft" strategy in Indonesia's anti-terror campaign to try and turn former militants into informers, or advocates of religious moderation.

"We approach the terrorists with a pure heart,'' Brigadier General Surya Dharma, the head of Indonesia's anti-terror unit and host of the party, told Associated Press.

"We are all Muslims. We make them our brothers, not our enemy."

Mubarok, who is serving a life sentence for planning and carrying out the Bali bombings, was temporarily released from prison to attend the party, which was free of armed guards. He led the prayers at the celebration, timed to coincide with the breaking of the fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

Those key individuals involved in the Bali bombings, Islamic terrorists associated with Jemaah Islamiyah, have repeatedly seen their already short incarcerations reduced despite the fact that they were involved in a terrorist group that murdered 202 people and wounded another 267.

Now, we see that the people responsible for going after terrorists in Indonesia are wining and dining with the people who have no problem murdering tourists and engaging in mass casualty attacks.

One has to wonder just how serious the Indonesian government is in dealing with counterterrorism against the Islamists when they have no problem inviting them to feasts.

The fifth anniversary of the attacks is tomorrow - October 12.

UPDATE:
Here's the link to my posting on the reduced sentence for the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah.

Also blogging: Charles at LGF.