Police question retired general over speech<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Maj. Gen. (ret.) Theo Syafei, former chief of
\nthe Udayana Regional Military Command, was summoned by the city
\npolice on Wednesday for questioning concerning reports that he
\nwas responsible for spreading anti-Muslim information and
\nfomenting hatred against Islam.<\/p>\n
City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman told reporters
\nthat the six-hour questioning was part of the police
\ninvestigation into the allegations.<\/p>\n
"Pak Theo is named as a suspect in our investigation,"
\nNoegroho said.<\/p>\n
Theo reportedly disparaged Muslims in a speech before a group
\nof Christian youths at a church in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara
\n(NTT), prior to a riot on Nov. 30 involving Muslims and
\nChristians.<\/p>\n
Theo's speech was believed to have fueled Christian resentment
\nignited by a bloody riot in Ketapang, West Jakarta, on Nov. 22,
\nin which many churches were vandalized and burned.<\/p>\n
Some people reportedly recorded Theo's speech and distributed
\nthe cassettes to the public. A newly published tabloid Abadi also
\nran a special report on Theo's speech and printed the complete
\ntranscript of the cassette.<\/p>\n
The top military officer has lodged a complaint against the
\ntabloid for libel at the city police.<\/p>\n
Theo said that he had been libeled by the front-page report of
\nthe Dec. 24 premiere edition of the tabloid under the headline:
\nTheo dan Kerusuhan Kupang (Theo and the Kupang Riots).<\/p>\n
When asked whether police had collected enough evidence for
\nthe case, Noegroho said that the information they had was
\nadequate and several witnesses had been questioned.<\/p>\n
"Today's questioning was intended to hear his side of the
\nstory concerning the allegation," Noegroho said, adding that Theo
\nwould be summoned again if police needed further information.<\/p>\n
Theo arrived at the city police headquarters at about 10 a.m.,
\naccompanied by his lawyers.<\/p>\n
Didi Supriyanto, one of Theo's lawyers, said police asked Theo
\n12 questions, and most of them were about the recorded speech and
\nits transcript.<\/p>\n
"Police have not yet asked him whether or not the voice in the
\ncassette is his (Theo's)," Didi said.<\/p>\n
Police said Theo could be charged with violating Article 156
\nof the Criminal Code on the spreading of hatred, which carries a
\nmaximum punishment of five years in prison.<\/p>\n
Theo served a brief stint as legislator in the Armed Forces
\n(ABRI) faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) before he
\nwas withdrawn in 1997 for criticizing then president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
After the questioning, Theo, who recently joined the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) lead by Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nsaid that he was ready to face any charges.<\/p>\n
"Yes, I'm ready to face any charges if they (police) can prove
\nthat I'm wrong," he told reporters. (emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-question-retired-general-over-speech-1447893297",
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