Muslim group to sue police over group leader's arrest

Muslim group to sue police over group leader's arrest

JAKARTA (JP): The Laskar Jihad Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamma'ah
Muslim group declared on Monday that it would file a lawsuit
against the National Police over the alleged wrongful arrest of
their commander, Ja'far Umar Thalib.

Laskar Jihad deputy commander Aip Syarifuddin contended that
the police had not handed a police summons to Ja'far prior to his
arrest on Friday.

"This is illegal," Aip was quoted by Antara as saying after a
prayer meeting by the group at the Al' Furqon Mosque in Jakarta
on Monday.

"Ja'far's arrest clearly came with intense political pressure,
supported by an international conspiracy, to stop the growth of
religious consciousness in Indonesia."

Police arrested Ja'far on Friday at Juanda Airport in
Surabaya, East Java, on charges of sowing hatred against a
religion and passing down a sentence applied in Islamic law under
which one of his followers was stoned to death.

In response, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi
Widayadi said that police had issued two summonses for Ja'far,
both addressed to Ja'far's residence/office on Jl. Cempaka Putih
Tengah XVIB in Jakarta.

"It is not true that we did not issue any police summons
concerning the matter," Didi told reporters.

Aip said 21 lawyers had offered their services to defend
Ja'far, including legislator Hartono Mardjono.

Separately, Hartono, who is on House of Representatives
Commission II on legal affairs, said on Monday that he had
offered his services to Ja'far since he felt the charges against
Ja'far, particularly the charge of causing another's death, was
unfair.

Hartono was referring to the charge claiming that Ja'far had
applied the hukum rajam (stoning to death) sentence to one of his
own men, reportedly over adultery.

"The man who was stoned to death had committed adultery and
had asked to be punished according to syariah (Islamic law) which
is rajam ... so why should Ja'far be punished as a result?"
Hartono said.

A number of important figures have also come forward to be
guarantors for Ja'far' release, including Muhammadiyah Muslim
group's deputy chairman Din Syamsuddin, Aip said.

Aip also said that some 600 members of the Laskar Jihad had
arrived in Jakarta from various areas in Java to lend support to
their leader.

On Friday, 50 members of the Laskar Jihad went to the National
Police Headquarters, where Ja'far is being held, to demand his
release.

Ja'far's lawyer Eggy Sudjana said that Ja'far's arrest would
most likely trigger fresh riots in Maluku, where Laskar Jihad had
sent men to fight Christians.

"I am saying this because Ja'far's arrest will trigger anger
in the hearts of Muslims in Maluku. The police should not take
this matter lightly," Eggy said on Saturday. (ylt)