FPI denies planned attack

FPI denies planned attack

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Responding to a heated situation outside
the Utan Kayu Community complex on Friday, the Islam Defenders
Front (FPI) denied planning to attack a group of liberal Muslims.

"If people keep on blowing up issues like that, we might
attack for real," FPI commander Jaffar Sidik was quoted as saying
by Tempointeraktif.com.

Jaffar explained that there was never any plan to attack the
Liberal Islamic Network (JIL) and that the rumor was spread by
those opposed to the FPI.

He added that the FPI had only scheduled a tabligh akbar (mass
gathering) after Friday prayers with several other Muslim groups
at the Al-Azhar Mosque in South Jakarta.

Friday's tabligh akbar was also attended by Husein Umar from
the Islamic Preachers Board and Ahmad Sumargono from the
Indonesian Muslims' Solidarity Movement.

Separately, Hamid Basyaib, a JIL coordinator, said on Saturday
that he had confirmed the news of Friday's planned protest by the
FPI with one of the hard-liners' lawyers.

Some 300 people who had been gathering since Friday afternoon
at the Utan Kayu compound went home relieved after realizing
nobody from the FPI would turn up to attack the compound as
rumored. -- JP