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)