Local authorities finally reopened the controversial Al Ikhsan Sabilillah mosque in Sidotopo, Surabaya, East Java, on Tuesday after local residents sealed it off for four days, accusing it of hosting "terrorist activities".

However, the police said they had not found any activities that could be associated with terrorism in Indonesia.

"We opened the seal to avoid unwanted things. Besides, the situation here now is fine," North Surabaya Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Joko Hadi Utomo said Tuesday after accompanying Semampir district administration head Pentarto to open the padlock that had sealed the mosque since last Saturday.

On Friday, hundreds of local residents flocked and attacked the mosque as they suspected the mosque was used to harbor activities related to terrorism.

They were afraid the mosque was misused by its managers and provoked local people to act irresponsibly.

The locals then attacked and closed the mosque to prevent other Muslims from joining the mosque.

The attack prompted the Semampir subdistrict administration's decision to seal off the mosque Saturday to avoid further unwanted things.

Since then, the local administration also banned all activities at the mosque.

The local authorities said the closure of the mosque was to avoid further "legal violations".

"It's merely to prevent further anger from the residents. We don't want any other violations to take place here," Joko said.

He also said the seal had no correlation with the mosque's activities, despite the fact that once-convicted terror leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, from the extremist Ngruki Islamic boarding school, is scheduled to give a sermon at the mosque Saturday.

Semampir district police office chief Adj. Comr. Suyanto said his personnel continued to guard the mosque.

Separately, Muslim cleric Zulkarnain, who often gave sermons at the mosque, said he was willing to discuss matters with the local residents to find a solution to the problem.

"We are open, we are not exclusive. We just carry out normal activities, just like other mosques," said Zulkarnain in response to their terrorism accusations.

He then said he wanted to have a open dialogue with the residents to solve the misunderstanding between them.

Local resident Mohammad, told The Jakarta Post his neighbors rejected all activities conducted at the mosque since it was used as a "center of terrorism."

Besides that, the people also became angered as the mosque leader prevented them from conducting their activities freely at the mosque.

"Some of local residents suspect the mosque is used as the center of terrorist activities.

The residents suspect this as they found many of the activities in the mosque are quietly undertaken.

"Furthermore, one of the local residents was arrested last year for terrorist activities," Mohammad said Tuesday.

Members of the accused Al Ikhsan mosque released a report through their website at www.muslimdaily.net, claiming the Friday attack was led by people from outside Sidotopo, not local Sidotopo residents.

The attackers were provoked by certain police officers, they added.

The website also reported however the leaders of the mosque agreed with its temporary closure by authorities as it did not have a building permit.

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