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NU defends police over Siyono death
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Muhammadiyah youth wing chair Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak places flowers on the tomb of alleged terrorist Siyono in Pogung village, Klaten, Central Java. (Antara/Aloysius Jarot Nugroho)
N
ahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Islamic outfit, has come to the police's defense over the death of alleged terrorist Siyono, who died in police custody.
"We believe in the police. They are part of the government and NU sticks by the government in the face of any threat," NU chairman Said Aqil Siroj said on Friday when asked to comment on the death of Siyono.
On April 3, a team of doctors from the central executive board of Muhammadiyah, the country's second-largest Muslim organization, performed an autopsy on the body of Siyono to reveal the cause of his death, which occurred when he was in the hands of the National Police’s Densus 88 counterterrorism squad.
Said praised the National Police, and particularly Densus 88, for the successful arrest of Siyono, whom the police had previously identified as the commander of Neo Jamaah Islamiyah (Neo JI), a new cell of militant group JI.
Siyono, who was arrested by Densus 88 on March in Klaten, Central Java, died on his fourth day in police custody; his body, when returned to his family, was covered in blood and bruises.
Human rights activists have since criticized the police, especially the counterterrorism squad, accusing the latter of torturing Siyono.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Anton Charliyan asserted that Siyono was the commander of Neo JI, according to the scheme of Neo JI that the force had identified. "Neo JI wants to collect weapons to build a strong force. They want to establish an Islamic State of Indonesia," Anton said as quoted by kompas.com
NU advisory board chairman Ma'ruf Amin, however, called for police officials to reveal the facts of the terror suspect's death. (bbn)
