Al-Zaytun critics file complaint against intelligence chief<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Authors of published material critical of the Al-Zaytun Islamic
\nboarding school in West Java filed a complaint with the police on
\nFriday against National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief A.M.
\nHendropriyono for defamation and alleged intimidation towards
\nthem.<\/p>\n
\"We demand that Hendropriyono withdraw his statements and
\npublicly apologize within 3 days, or face legal charges,\" said Al
\nChaidar, one of the authors.<\/p>\n
During a visit to Al-Zaytun in May, Hendropriyono delivered a
\nspeech in which he alleged that books criticizing the boarding
\nschool were \"satanic books written by envious people\" and that he
\nwould use \"all the power and authority\" that he had to \"crack
\ndown on those people\".<\/p>\n
A video recording of the speech was shown by the authors to
\nreporters and police as evidence, along with editions of Medium
\nand Al-Zaytun magazines containing similar remarks by
\nHendropriyono.<\/p>\n
However, Hendropriyono's statements in the video and the
\nmagazines did not refer to any specific books or authors.<\/p>\n
This was admitted by Al Chaidar, though he was also quick to
\nadd that there were only five books ever written by just three
\nauthors. In addition to the book he wrote, there were only four
\nothers written -- by his colleagues, Umar Abduh and M. Amin
\nDjamaluddin.<\/p>\n
Al Chaidar also said that he received several threats and has
\nbeen intimidated ever since his book was published in 2000. The
\nthreats included gun shots fired at his house and phone calls
\nharrasing him not to criticize Al-Zaytun again.<\/p>\n
\"This is truly an act of terror and an assault on the
\ndemocratic principle of freedom of expression, especially if it
\nis done by government officials,\" Al Chaidar said, urging police
\nto investigate the case seriously.<\/p>\n
The Al-Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Indramayu, West Java
\nwas inaugurated in 1996 by then Minister of Research and
\nTechnology B.J. Habibie, and is currently headed by Panji
\nGumilang.<\/p>\n
It has been cautiously praised by some as a modern Islamic
\nboarding school worthy of becoming an example for other boarding
\nschools in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
On his May visit to Al-Zaytun, Hendropriyono even called it a
\n\"center of excellence\" for Islam in Indonesia. Hendropriyono
\nhimself was there in place of President Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nto inaugurate a building at Al-Zaytun dedicated to Megawati's
\nfather and Indonesia's founding father, Soekarno.<\/p>\n
The boarding school, however, has also seen its share of
\ncontroversy, as others have alleged that it is discreetly
\nbecoming a deviationist sect and perhaps the ninth regional
\nmilitary command (KW9) of the outlawed militant Islamic movement
\nof Darul Islam, which reportedly has extorted money from its new
\nrecruits in the name of \"alms\".<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) conducted an
\ninvestigation of Al-Zaytun in 2002, and concluded that there were
\nindeed indications of deviationist teachings of Islam at Al-
\nZaytun.<\/p>\n
MUI's findings, however, have never been followed up on by the
\ngovernment or the police.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/al-zaytun-critics-file-complaint-against-intelligence-chief-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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