Police question FPI head over anti-U.S. protest
Police question FPI head over anti-U.S. protest
Emmy Fitri, Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The police questioned Islam Defenders Front (FPI) commander Al
Habib Muhammad Rizieq on Monday as a suspect on charges of
provocation and denunciation related to last week's anti-U.S.
demonstration.
During the demonstration that took place in front of the
legislative building, FPI members and police personnel clashed,
resulting in dozens of protesters being injured.
"Habib Rizieq is a suspect. He is being questioned over two
separate charges of insulting police officers and instigating
mass hatred," Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul
Alam said.
The charges, according to the Criminal Code, carry a maximum
penalty of seven years imprisonment.
Anton added that the police had not yet decided on whether to
detain Rizieq.
Police initially claimed that Rizieq had defied the first
summons, and they vowed to drag Rizieq in for questioning should
he defy a third summons.
Accompanied by his team of lawyers at Monday's questioning,
Rizieq said that he had not ignored the police summons,
contending that this was the first questioning scheduled for him.
"I watched on TV, and officers said that I would be forcibly
dragged in for questioning if I didn't show up. I just received
the summons last week and it's clearly stated that this is the
first session," he said.
One of his lawyers, Ari Yusuf Amri, said that Rizieq's team of
lawyers guaranteed the police that their client would not skip
town, and therefore, should not be detained.
"My client is willing to cooperate in the investigation and we
will guarantee that he will not run away," Ari said.
Rizieq also said that FPI would file a lawsuit against the
police for injuring FPI members during the clashes and also for
threatening his group.
The police said they welcomed any lawsuit in the treatment of
demonstrators.
The police said the clash between police and FPI members on
Oct. 15 occurred as demonstrators had refused to disperse. The
police argued that the demonstrators had violated the law banning
demonstrations on national holidays.
Oct. 15 was a national holiday, commemorating the Ascension
Day of Prophet Muhammad.