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