FPI members attack journalist amid protest
FPI members attack journalist amid protest
JAKARTA (JP): Members of the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) attacked on Friday a journalist covering a protest by the group in front the National Police Headquarters on Jl. Trunojoyo in South Jakarta.
Eddy Saputra Hasibuan, a journalist with Pos Kota morning daily, was attacked by FPI members for allegedly defaming the group's operational division deputy chairman, M. Alwi Usman.
Minutes before the attack, Eddy stood up in the middle of some 300 members of the group, who were demanding the police prosecute noted businessman Sofyan Wanandi for his alleged involvement in playing Islamic figures off against each other.
In the middle of the noisy protest, a man in long cream shirt with a cell phone pointed at Eddy.
"He is the one who accused FPI members of carrying money!" the man, who was later identified as Zainuddin, an FPI lawyer, yelled.
Members of the group then beat Eddy several times.
Police personnel, including South Jakarta Police Precinct chief Sr. Supt. Edward Aritonang, moved to protect the journalist, yet several punches still managed to find their target.
While police tried hard to defend Eddy from the attack, other officers guarded the building by standing inside the building's entrance gate.
Eddy was later escorted into the police headquarters compound.
Eddy suffered light injuries, a torn shirt and broken glasses.
After the incident, Zainuddin said Eddy had defamed the group's executive, M. Alwi Usman.
"I was standing next to him when he yelled that M. Alwi Usman kept a lot of money in his red bag," he said, before admitting that he did not know that Eddy was a journalist.
Zainuddin was referring to Alwi, who was standing in a pick up truck leading the protest carrying a red bag.
Eddy, a journalist covering criminal stories, later said he did not mean to defame the group's executive and was only joking to his friend Edison Siahaan from Berita Kota daily.
"I didn't say that he (Alwi), and the group, were being paid. I only told my friend that the red bag carried by the Pak Haji might have a lot of money in it," he said, referring to Alwi as Pak Haji (a Muslim who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca).
Legal action
After the incident, Eddy, Zainuddin and Alwi were escorted to the South Jakarta Police Precinct to search for a solution.
Eddy said he was considering legal action against the group.
"But I'll wait for my office's stance over the case," he said.
Zainuddin said the group had yet to determine whether it would take legal action.
"Both parties must retrospect. We'll determine our position tomorrow," he said.
The FPI were protesting Sofyan Wanandi, who has been accused of asking President Abdurrahman Wahid to order the arrest of members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Members of both legislative institutions have been accused of creating current political turmoil in the country.
Among those mentioned are former minister of finance Fuad Bawazier and former minister of mining and energy Ginandjar Kartasasmita.
Sofyan Wanandi is the chairman of the National Business Development Council.
Zainuddin said the group had lodged a lawsuit with the national police's detectives unit. (asa)