Police question FPI head over anti-U.S. protest<\/p>\n
Emmy Fitri, Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The police questioned Islam Defenders Front (FPI) commander Al
\nHabib Muhammad Rizieq on Monday as a suspect on charges of
\nprovocation and denunciation related to last week's anti-U.S.
\ndemonstration.<\/p>\n
During the demonstration that took place in front of the
\nlegislative building, FPI members and police personnel clashed,
\nresulting in dozens of protesters being injured.<\/p>\n
\"Habib Rizieq is a suspect. He is being questioned over two
\nseparate charges of insulting police officers and instigating
\nmass hatred,\" Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul
\nAlam said.<\/p>\n
The charges, according to the Criminal Code, carry a maximum
\npenalty of seven years imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Anton added that the police had not yet decided on whether to
\ndetain Rizieq.<\/p>\n
Police initially claimed that Rizieq had defied the first
\nsummons, and they vowed to drag Rizieq in for questioning should
\nhe defy a third summons.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by his team of lawyers at Monday's questioning,
\nRizieq said that he had not ignored the police summons,
\ncontending that this was the first questioning scheduled for him.<\/p>\n
\"I watched on TV, and officers said that I would be forcibly
\ndragged in for questioning if I didn't show up. I just received
\nthe summons last week and it's clearly stated that this is the
\nfirst session,\" he said.<\/p>\n
One of his lawyers, Ari Yusuf Amri, said that Rizieq's team of
\nlawyers guaranteed the police that their client would not skip
\ntown, and therefore, should not be detained.<\/p>\n
\"My client is willing to cooperate in the investigation and we
\nwill guarantee that he will not run away,\" Ari said.<\/p>\n
Rizieq also said that FPI would file a lawsuit against the
\npolice for injuring FPI members during the clashes and also for
\nthreatening his group.<\/p>\n
The police said they welcomed any lawsuit in the treatment of
\ndemonstrators.<\/p>\n
The police said the clash between police and FPI members on
\nOct. 15 occurred as demonstrators had refused to disperse. The
\npolice argued that the demonstrators had violated the law banning
\ndemonstrations on national holidays.<\/p>\n
Oct. 15 was a national holiday, commemorating the Ascension
\nDay of Prophet Muhammad.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-question-fpi-head-over-anti-us-protest-1447893297",
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