Preacher named suspect in bloody mid-May riots<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police yesterday officially named Chinese-
\nIndonesian Anton Medan, an ex-con turned Moslem preacher, as a
\nsuspect for his alleged role in leading mobs during the mid-May
\nriots.<\/p>\n
City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said: \"He is
\nscheduled to be questioned at the city police headquarters here
\non Monday at 9 a.m. to clarify the truth about several
\naccusations pointed against him during the May riots,\" Noegroho
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
According to Noegroho, at least 10 witnesses have admitted to
\nhaving seen Anton leading groups in the riots which involved
\nwidespread looting and arson.<\/p>\n
\"But you have to remember this, he is not yet a guilty man.
\nThis questioning is only part of the investigation to prove his
\ninvolvement. He is innocent until proven guilty,\" Noegroho
\nreiterated.<\/p>\n
Anton, a former convict who turned Moslem preacher has
\nrejected two summons from the military police on the grounds that
\nhe is not a member of the military.<\/p>\n
\"I am ready to be questioned by the police. I want this thing
\nto be cleared up,\" Anton told a television station yesterday.<\/p>\n
Noegroho also said yesterday that police would in the next few
\ndays conditionally release Andi Arief, chairman of Indonesian
\nStudents Solidarity for Democracy, or SMID, a wing of the
\noutlawed Democratic People's Party (PRD). Andi who was detained
\nfor his alleged role in the Tanah Tinggi bomb explosion in Tanah
\nTinggi last year.<\/p>\n
\"He will be released soon based on his parents' and lawyer's
\nguarantee. But he will still be a suspect in the Tanah Tinggi
\ncase,\" Noegroho said. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/preacher-named-suspect-in-bloody-mid-may-riots-1447893297",
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