Police detain FPI chairman
Police detain FPI chairman
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police detained Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Al Habib
Muhammad Rizieq Shihab late on Wednesday night on charges of
instigating violence and acts of vandalism, after a team of
police investigators questioned the suspect for more than 13
hours.
Rizieq was questioned by police from 9:30 in the morning until
11:45 at night, when police officially announced that Rizieq had
been taken into custody.
The FPI chairman was detained for his alleged role in
provoking violence and acts of vandalism against nightspots and
entertainment centers in the capital over the past three years.
The latest incident took place on Oct. 4, when more than 400
FPI members attacked a discotheque and two billiard centers. Two
people were injured in the incident.
Rizieq refused to sign his dossier, saying the police had no
legal right to detain him.
"Out of 30 questions, 28 questions revolved around my
organization, FPI, while only two questions were about my
whereabouts during the latest incident (on Oct. 4)," he said.
Rizieq denied he knew anything about that incident, claiming
he was taking care of his sick child at the time.
Police have been under increasing pressure to investigate
Rizieq and his group, with the public criticizing the police for
failing to stop FPI attacks on nightspots and entertainment
centers.
The pressure on the police to take action increased following
the Bali bombings that claimed over 180 lives, mostly foreign
vacationers, with speculation that hard-line Muslim groups here
might be connected to terrorist activities.
FPI has been attacking nightspots since 2000, but it was not
until the latest attack that the police took any action against
the group.
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police detained Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Al Habib
Muhammad Rizieq Shihab late on Wednesday night on charges of
instigating violence and acts of vandalism, after a team of
police investigators questioned the suspect for more than 13
hours.
Rizieq was questioned by police from 9:30 in the morning until
11:45 at night, when police officially announced that Rizieq had
been taken into custody.
The FPI chairman was detained for his alleged role in
provoking violence and acts of vandalism against nightspots and
entertainment centers in the capital over the past three years.
The latest incident took place on Oct. 4, when more than 400
FPI members attacked a discotheque and two billiard centers. Two
people were injured in the incident.
Rizieq refused to sign his dossier, saying the police had no
legal right to detain him.
"Out of 30 questions, 28 questions revolved around my
organization, FPI, while only two questions were about my
whereabouts during the latest incident (on Oct. 4)," he said.
Rizieq denied he knew anything about that incident, claiming
he was taking care of his sick child at the time.
Police have been under increasing pressure to investigate
Rizieq and his group, with the public criticizing the police for
failing to stop FPI attacks on nightspots and entertainment
centers.
The pressure on the police to take action increased following
the Bali bombings that claimed over 180 lives, mostly foreign
vacationers, with speculation that hard-line Muslim groups here
might be connected to terrorist activities.
FPI has been attacking nightspots since 2000, but it was not
until the latest attack that the police took any action against
the group.