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)