Muslim militant grilled over nightclub violence, vandalism

Muslim militant grilled over nightclub violence, vandalism

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police grilled on Wednesday the chairman of radical religious
group Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Al Habib Muhammad Rizieq
Shihab, for instigating violence and vandalism against nightspots
and entertainment centers here for over three years, a police
official said.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bahrul Alam said that
Rizieq was questioned as a suspect after police found sufficient
evidence of Rizieq's involvement in recent violent raids by FPI
members on a discotheque and two billiard centers in Central
Jakarta early this month.

"We have sufficient evidence of his involvement in the string
of violent raids launched by FPI in the capital. That's why we
summoned him as suspect. If he is questioned for more than 24
hours, it simply means that he is being detained," Anton
asserted.

Rizieq was questioned since 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday and up to
9:00 p.m., he was still being held in police custody in
connection with the ongoing police investigation led by deputy
chief of crimes at the police detectives division, Comr. Putu
Jayan.

While Rizieq, who was accompanied by lawyer M. Hidayat, was
being questioned by police, more than 200 of his supporters
staged a rally in front of the Jakarta Police Headquarters. The
demonstrators dispersed at 5:30 p.m.

Police have been under mounting pressure to investigate Rizieq
amid public criticism that the police appear to be hesitant in
taking legal action against the recurrent FPI raids on nightspots
and entertainment centers.

Last week, several groups staged rallies urging police to take
legal action against FPI as well as called for the dissolution of
the group. They asserted that FPI raids on entertainment centers
had tarnished the image of Islam.

Police were under renewed pressure from the public following
the Bali bombing which claimed nearly 200 lives, mostly
foreigners, as speculations are rife that hard-line groups here
might be linked to terrorist activities.

However, Anton brushed aside the allegation, asserting that
Rizieq's questioning was mainly related to his role in
instigating violence and vandalism by FPI members.

Police had reported last week that they planned to question
Rizieq. However, according to Anton, due to the need for further
preparation, the questioning was adjourned until Wednesday this
week.

However, police sources revealed that a police administrative
staff member had made a mistake in typing the date of the
summons, typing 16 Oct. instead of 9 Oct., in the summons sent to
Rizieq. Following the mistake, a senior police investigator
assigned to Rizieq's case was transferred to another post.

Two weeks ago, the Central Jakarta Police precinct named eight
out of the 13 arrested FPI members as suspects following recent
attacks by the organization's members on a number of nightspots
and billiard centers in Jakarta on Oct. 4. Two people were
injured in the incident.

FPI has launched raids on nightspots and entertainment centers
that allegedly also illegally traded drugs and provided services
that violated "religious norms" including gambling facilities,
alcoholic drinks, and services of sex workers.

According to the Criminal Code, those who deliberately and
collectively use overt violence against people or property are
subject to maximum five years and six months in prison.

FPI began conducting illegal raids against nightspots and
entertainment centers in 2000. The raids had been reported to
police but only now the police have decided to take action
against them.