Aid officials said Friday they would not scale back relief efforts on Indonesia’s tsunami-stricken Sumatra island, despite security fears raised by the presence of an extremist Islamic group with alleged links to al-Qaida. Relief groups setting up operations at the main airport in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, said they were aware of the security concerns and had taken precautions, but they were relying on good will surrounding the relief effort for safety. The presence of Laskar Mujahidin, known for killing Christians in another part of Indonesia, has generated fears that U.S. military personnel and others involved in relief work in Aceh province could become terror targets. Laskar Mujahidin set up a camp in Aceh and posted a sign that read – in English – “Islamic Law Enforcement.” Its members say they have been collecting corpses, distributing food and providing Islamic teaching for refugees. Full Story
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