Police arrest provocateur in Islamic school attack

Depok Police have arrested a suspect who allegedly provoked a mob to set ablaze Mashadul Al Musthatobah Islamic boarding school in Curug, Bojongsari district, Depok, West Java last month.

Depok Police chief Sr. Comr. Mulyadi Kaharni said on Wednesday that the police would be charging the suspect, identified by the initials AZ, under Article 170 of the Criminal Code on group assault, which carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison.

Mulyadi said the motive behind AZ's mobilizing the mob -- most of whom were minors -- was his anger toward the school's principal, Fauzan, who had allegedly molested one of his students.

An angry mob attacked the school after they learned that Fauzan had sexually harassed a student, known by the initial M, now 19, since 2009 and forced her to engage in an unofficial Islamic marriage, locally known as nikah siri.

The police are still searching for four other suspects related to the attack while continuing to investigate the case against Fauzan. Fauzan was charged under Article 81 of the 2002 Law on Children’s Rights Protection for sexually abusing a minor. If found guilty, he faces a maximum of 15 years' imprisonment. (cor/swd)