Thousands call for Ja'far's release<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA: At least 2,000 people from various Muslim groups
\ngathered at the Kauman Grand Mosque here on Friday in protest of
\nthe detention of Laskar Jihad Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah leader
\nJa'far Umar Thalib by the National Police.<\/p>\n
The people, claiming to be members of the Yogyakarta Muslim
\nSilaturahim Forum (FSUI), conducted the peaceful rally soon after
\nFriday prayers.<\/p>\n
One of the speakers at the event, Irfan S. Awwas, who chairs
\nthe hard-line Indonesian Mujahiddin Council (MMI), told the crowd
\nthat the police had no reason to arrest Ja'far.<\/p>\n
"Ustad (teacher) Ja'far has been defending Muslim's dignity in
\nAmbon and he did not commit any crime there," he said.<\/p>\n
Responding to the police's claim that Ja'far had ordered the
\nstoning to death of one of his followers, Irfan said that "Ja'far
\nwas upholding Islamic law".<\/p>\n
"The execution itself was demanded by the defendant, who
\npleaded guilty of adultery," he added.<\/p>\n
Another speaker, the head of the United Development Party
\n(PPP) Yogyakarta provincial board, Fauzi AR said that the
\ngovernment had treated Ja'far unfairly.<\/p>\n
"Ja'far prevented ethnic cleansing of Muslims by the
\nseparatist group in Maluku. Why didn't the police arrest
\nChristian separatist leaders?" he said. (23)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-call-for-jafars-release-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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