Residents attack LDII complex

Residents attack LDII complex

TANGERANG: About 300 residents of Cisoka and Tigaraksa districts
attacked the Lembaga Dakwah Islam Indonesia (LDII) congregation
complex in Munjul subdistrict, Cisoka district of Tangerang late
on Monday.

Cisoka subprecinct police chief Insp. Iryanto Suwandi said
that the mob arrived at the complex in several trucks at about 9
p.m. They were armed with machetes, sickles and wooden clubs.

He said that as soon as the unidentified people arrived at the
complex, they began pelting stones at three houses in the
complex, causing the inhabitants to flee for safety.

"Luckily, none of LDII congregation was injured during the
attack," Suwandi said on Tuesday.

He said the people dispersed after 150 officers from Tangerang
Police Headquarters arrived at the complex at 11 p.m., and fired
warning shots.

In anticipation of further attacks, dozens of police officers
were still deployed at the complex on Tuesday afternoon.

Early this month, residents also attacked the complex because
they claimed that LDII had taught misleading religious tenets to
its 300 congregation members in Cisoka.

The Tangerang branch of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI)
met with the Cisoka LDII leader Heri at the Tangerang Police
Headquarters following the first attack, but MUI has yet to state
its stance on LDII's presence in the district. --JP