For most, the presence of an outfit of ninjas conjures scenes of Japanese comic book assassins or, perhaps, of mutant turtles dwelling in a sewer. But in East Timor, ninjas have become a national security threat. The impoverished country, perched on the fringes of the Indonesian archipelago, is in the grips of a six-month campaign aimed at curbing “ninja” activities — a euphemism, ostensibly, for clandestine, anti-government militancy. Earlier this year, Longuinhos Monteiro, East Timor’s police chief, donned commando fatigues and personally led an operation into the country’s western marches. He sent out a warning via the press: “Any ninjas who want to take us on, your final stop will be Santa Cruz cemetery [in the capital, Dili].”
Full story: Why East Timor Has Declared War on Ninjas – TIME