NGO activists quizzed for libel

JAKARTA: The police questioned on Monday an activist of non- governmental organization Center for Democracy and Social Justice Studies (Cedsos) over a libel complaint filed by Nur Hidayat, the leader of Laskar Sabililah, in December last year.

Cedsos executive John Mempi was questioned as a witness in the publishing of Cedsos' book titled The Conspiracy of Intelligent and Islamic Radical Movements, which was edited by Umar Abduh.

The book cites Nur Hidayat as a "provocateur", "perpetrator of the Christmas bombings", and having "played a role in the murder of Abu Jihad".

Cedsos, supported by several other NGOs such as the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), distributed a release defending the book as an effort to convey what is behind the Islamic radical movements in Indonesia.

The release also said that the book only depicted what was already published in the mass media and other written sources.

Cedsos spokesman Garda Sembiring said that the police would continue the questioning on Tuesday. --JP