HezbAllah TV (Al Manar) Broadcasting in Indonesia

HezbAllah Television station, Al Manar, has begun broadcast in Indonesia. The Coalition Against Terrorist Media has started a campaign to see if they can get it removed from the airwaves. Indonesia also hosted the large gathering of Hizb ut Tahrir, whom I believe to be the “political wing” of Al Qaeda, late last year.

From AHN:

Windsor Genova – AHN News Writer

Washington, D.C. (AHN) – A global coalition of Muslim, Christian, Jewish and secular organizations urged Indonesia’s state-owned television network Wednesday to stop broadcasting a television channel operated by Hezbollah.

A press statement from the Coalition Against Terrorist Media called for Indonesia Telkom to follow the lead of other major satellite companies and cease its ties to al-Manar, Hezbollah’s propaganda arm.

“The Jakarta government should not be enabling the broadcast of al-Manar because it uses the Quran to justify terrorism and violence,” said Mark Dubowitz, manager of the Coalition.

Al-Manar also recruits terrorists, provides “operational surveillance” to Hezbollah, and violates the European Television Without Frontiers Directive, which prohibits “any incitement to hatred on grounds of race, sex, religion or nationality,” according to the statement.

More from CATM:

Al-Manar has been found to be in breach of the European Television Without Frontiers Directive (TWFD). According to Article 22a, “Member States shall ensure that broadcasts do not contain any incitement to hatred on grounds of race, sex, religion or nationality.”  

When al-Manar was launched, its website stated its purpose: to wage “psychological warfare” against its enemies, including the United States. That goal remains the same today. In an interview, an al-Manar official said its programming is meant to “help people on the way to committing what you call in the West a suicide mission.”  Implementing its goal, many of al-Manar’s videos aim to recruit terrorists. Al-Manar uses music videos and programs aimed at children glorifying suicide bombers and encouraging children to engage in terrorist activity.

In urging Indonesia Telkom to cease its relationship with al-Manar, Dubowitz said, “Indonesia Telkom’s relationship with al-Manar cannot be seen merely as a business transaction. In today’s world, corporations have global responsibilities besides earning a few extra dollars for its shareholders. Moreover, transacting commerce with terrorist entities can’t help shareholder value.”

Asiasat, Eutelsat, Globecast, NSS, Intelsat, Hispasat, Amazonas, TARBS and most recently Thaicom are some of the satellite companies that have ceased broadcasting al-Manar.

CATM, a coalition of Muslim, Christian, Jewish and secular organizations and individuals in Europe, the Middle East and the United States, works to educate the public, the satellite industry and governments about media outlets that are owned or funded by terrorist organizations and those who advocate or incite violence.