August 14, 2002

Dear Praying Friends--

I am compelled to send you the second prayer alert in as many days on the crisis in Central Sulawesi.

Please understand that the danger to the Christians in this region and especially the Christian village of Tentena is great. The Supreme Commander of the Laskar Jihad, Jafar Umar Thalib, has organized his militia against the Christians in this region. The Laskar Jihad militia is intent on attacking the village of Tentena.

In December of 2001 the Indonesian Military stopped a planned massacre of over 50,000 Christians in the community of Tentena. This community is now under threat again because of the reduction of Indonesian Military and the continued agenda of murder by the Jihad terrorists.

Read the following report I just received from Indonesia. Please forward this to those you know will pray. Raise your voice on behalf of the saints in Tentena. Join their earnest prayers. Please understand that the threat is real. There are woman and children who face the terror of the jihad attacks. The attacks on these unarmed people is without mercy. Contact any national leader who is a man or woman of conscience and ask them to help stop the terror in this region.

Mona Saroinsong from the Sulawesi Church Crisis Centre pleads, "PLEASE KEEP PRAYING AND DO SOMETHING TO SAVE our sisters and brothers in Christ and those who are innocent but oppressed before it's too late!!"

A Voice for the Voiceless--

Carl Cady--U.S. Director for International Friends of Compassion

Poso a Sea of Fire: Indonesian military incapable of quenching the flames

Joko Harmono, Tuesday August 13, 2002

After a week of terror at the hands of the Laskar Jihad, the Christians are bathing in a sea of fire.

This is bringing to pass the prophetic announcement pre-recorded message broadcast on Radio SPMM Ambon on July 5, 2002 and distributed by email print-out from the Laskar Jihad Information site in mid July 2002. The Supreme Commander of the Laskar Jihad Ustadz Jafar Umar Thalib, using the same language used in his radio address in Ambon on May 1, 2002 called on the Muslim community to go to war against the Christian community:

“Prepare the bombs which we have. Prepare the ammunition which we are ready to vomit forth from the barrels of the weapons we possess. And we swear by Allah! By Allah! By Allah! Until Tentena and surroundings become a sea of fire.”

In the last two weeks, the fire has burst into a full-scale sea of fire. Murders and attacks in Mayoa to the south of Tentena. The razing to the ground of the villages of Matako, Betania-Malitu, Sepe and Silanca, the torture and massacre of Christians pulled from public buses and private vehicles has left a trail of blood in recent days, and the fire rages on.