Titus Jonathan's Stories

(published in The Jakarta Post on 26 August 2009) Ramadan is not only a holy month but also a beautiful month for Muslims. It is beautiful because Ramadan offers peace and smiles. Imagine if we could see smiles everywhere, every day, every moment and on everyone, what more could we hope for in our lives today? During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. This is one of the five compulsory principles of Islam. Fasting is not only abstaining from food and drink, because the poor do that in their daily lives. "We don't need to wait until Ramadan, because fasting is our life. We have no option but to eat only once a day," they say. Fasting is not only to refrain from lust either, because lust can be controlled without fasting. Ramadan, the holy and beautiful month, brings values into focus. Ramadan makes people wise and unselfish, because Ramadan teaches them to share with others. Share a part of their possessions, share happiness, share sympathy and share love and ...

(a message from Noordin M. Top) I just imagine that Noordin M. Top watched TV when Densus-88 ambushed the house in Temanggung and Jatiasih Bekasi on 8 August 2009. He then sent a message to his accomplices said: My fellow jihadists, Just lay your face downward on the ground where you stand on right now. These days are tough days for us as we are now hunted with the utmost endeavor from the security forces. Be vigilant! Don’t let your eyes closed. Some of our confidants had been killed and arrested within past few days, others are scattered. Don’t take risk by showing up yourselves in public. You see the ambush in Temanggung that ended with the killing of Ibrohim and raid in Jatiasih Bekasi last week? That’s because of carelessness. You knew that carelessness is unforgiven matter in this game. A bit of carelessness would crush our plan and kill us – one by one! Don’t ever underestimate the Densus-88 . They, the damned smart and brilliant counterterrorism squad of Indonesian police have ...