Sect members held after 'doomsday'

BANDUNG, West Java: Bandung police detained on Monday 13 members of a Christian sect calling themselves "Prophet Hut" for believing that doomsday would occur at 12 p.m on Monday.

The 13 were taken from a Pentecostal church in Baleendah by dozens of police officers while they attended a sermon on Monday morning at the church along with 283 other people across the country, including those from the East Nusa Tenggara capital, Kupang, and the Papua capital, Jayapura.

All shared the same belief that doomsday would occur on Monday.

Michael and Daniel, the son of Rev. Mangapin Sibuea, were among the 13 detained for questioning by the police.

Mangapin was the priest who had instilled the belief that doomsday would occur on Monday. He has been detained by the Bandung police since Oct. 23 on a charge of behavior that could stir up chaos among the Christian community.

He was charged of violating Article 335 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence for one year in prison.

The police are investigating the matter further. --JP