Saleh to stand trial under tight security

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of East Java's mobile police officers will safeguard today's court session of the trial of Saleh, a local Moslem at the center of the recent religious tension which erupted into attacks on Situbondo churches.

Provincial police chief Maj. Gen. H. Sumarsono said in the East Java capital of Surabaya Friday that the police will also guard the Situbondo District Court with armored vehicles. The police will cooperate with the Brawijaya regional military headquarters to ensure order.

In addition, the police have also appealed to ulemas and other community leaders to help control the people which are expected to turn up in large numbers. The ulemas have also been asked to forbid their santri (Islamic students) from attending the session.

Saleh is on trial for alleged blasphemy against Islam as well as slander against the late K.H. As'ad Syamsul Arifin, a respected ulema in the small town of Situbondo. A mob of thousands of people attending one of the court sessions became enraged over what they perceived as a too-lenient sentence demanded for the defendant.

They became incensed after unidentified people shouted that Saleh was hiding in a church, and started on a rampage, setting churches ablaze. Five people were killed in the Oct. 10 violence.

Provincial military spokesman Lt. Col. CHB. S. Soebagio was quoted by Antara as suggesting on Saturday a limit to the number of people allowed to attend the court session.

In a related development, East Java ulemas called on Saturday for a thorough investigation into the violence. Hasyim Muzadi of the East Java chapter of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest organization with its 30 million followers, said that mere "technical solutions" to the problem were not enough.

"We agree with Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono that the roots of the problem (should be traced) and solved," he said.

Hartono told local ulemas last Wednesday that everyone should examine the causes of the violence and seek ways to prevent a reoccurrence. He said placing blame would only aggravate matters.

Hasyim believed that at least three conditions helped trigger the violence: ignorance of religious teachings, social gaps and injustices. (swe)