Indonesian Police Chief Sutanto said on Tuesday that the sending of
fighters to Lebanon by several Muslim groups here would only worsen situation in
the Middle East and contribute nothing to the world peace.
"We have to abide by the 1945 Constitution which obliges us to maintain the
world peace. Sending humanitarian assistance is okay, but sending fighters will
only worsen the situation there," he told reporters at the police headquarters
here.
He made the remarks followed claims by the Islamic Defenders Front, which
said 20 of its members already traveled to Lebanon to join the fight against
Israel, and the Indonesian Mujaheeden Council (MMI), which Tuesday claimed to
have organized 500 fighters to be sent to Lebanon and Palestine.
"What we want is peace. We must prevent a deepening in the (Middle East)
conflicts," Sutanto stressed.
Separately, Fauzan Al Ashari, one of MMI leaders, claimed that 500 fighters
are ready to leave for Lebanon in the near future. They are awaiting visas from
the Palestinian embassy in Jakarta, he said.
