Thousands call for Ja'far's release

Thousands call for Ja'far's release

YOGYAKARTA: At least 2,000 people from various Muslim groups
gathered at the Kauman Grand Mosque here on Friday in protest of
the detention of Laskar Jihad Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah leader
Ja'far Umar Thalib by the National Police.

The people, claiming to be members of the Yogyakarta Muslim
Silaturahim Forum (FSUI), conducted the peaceful rally soon after
Friday prayers.

One of the speakers at the event, Irfan S. Awwas, who chairs
the hard-line Indonesian Mujahiddin Council (MMI), told the crowd
that the police had no reason to arrest Ja'far.

"Ustad (teacher) Ja'far has been defending Muslim's dignity in
Ambon and he did not commit any crime there," he said.

Responding to the police's claim that Ja'far had ordered the
stoning to death of one of his followers, Irfan said that "Ja'far
was upholding Islamic law".

"The execution itself was demanded by the defendant, who
pleaded guilty of adultery," he added.

Another speaker, the head of the United Development Party
(PPP) Yogyakarta provincial board, Fauzi AR said that the
government had treated Ja'far unfairly.

"Ja'far prevented ethnic cleansing of Muslims by the
separatist group in Maluku. Why didn't the police arrest
Christian separatist leaders?" he said. (23)