Bali Bombers Executed

Amrozi, 47, his brother Mukhlas, 48, and ringleader Imam Samudra, 38, had been executed at around 00:15 am (1715 GMT Saturday) today. The three terrorists were killed by a firing squad and their bodies were transported back to their home villages via helicopters. In 2002, the bombers murdered more than 160 foreigners in a nightclub located in Bali.

Honestly speaking, I doubt this move can help subdue terrorism. The radical supporters are already welcoming their dead bodies back home as martyrs. This blatantly proves the level of misinterpretation of Islamic teachings among them. I fear the proliferation of such misleading teachings among youths in the future, thus breeding more vicious and merciless Islamic radicals.











I strongly believe having a 'war against terrorism' will not work. The more terrorists you kill, the more members the radical organizations will try to recruit. It is a never-ending cycle - one dies, three more are born. Terrorists are violent in nature and revenge to them is sweeter than honey. Executing them in the light of massive press coverage turns them into 'heroes' overnight. Furthermore, retaliation from supporters is imminent, endangering more civilian lives.

Islamic radicals, to me, are being misled to conduct terrorist activities. Many of them are poor and uneducated. Their top leaders are the ones who distorted verses from the holy book Al-Quran before spreading the false ideologies to their followers. Of course, stories of real life discrimination such as on the Palestine-Israel conflict are sprinkled all over their sermons.

















Yes, there is a thin line between freedom fighters and terrorists. I believe a freedom fighter is one who fights against an enemy to regain back his or her country's sovereignty. A good example is the Palestine-Israel conflict. How would you feel if the country that you loved so much was suddenly stolen by a group of foreigners?

My definition of a terrorist is the exact opposite. A terrorist, to me, is someone who uses violence to steal the sovereignty or lives of the civilians of a foreign country. This is unacceptable and forbidden under the Islamic law. All claims that the terrorists are anti-American are only partially true. I strongly believe their greed for power is the driving force behind the deadly activities.

Islam is a religion of peace and it does not condone violence. I suggests a 're-education' program for the captured terrorists. It is even be better if the government captures the most influential radical of the lot. Having strict guidelines for the choice of clerics in public Islamic institutions or mosques is also helpful. Once this happens, the reverse process begins - one 're-educates', three others turn over a new leaf.