'Deranged person' detained for safety

JAKARTA (JP): A local man, believed to be mentally ill, was detained for burning a Koran in a mosque and a podium in another one in Ngbang, a small town near the West Kalimantan provincial capital of Pontianak on Thursday.

Sgt. Irwanto of the Ngabang police station told The Jakarta Post said the man identified as Ibok was in police custody to save him from "being tried" by the local people.

"The suspect, who comes from a remote area in the subdistrict, cannot undergo a police investigation because he is mentally ill," he said.

Irwanto said that residents of the small town were deployed to guard all mosques and churches for fear of possible riots. (rms)