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Muhammadiyah mosque burned in Aceh
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Against blasphemy – Former Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin speaks at a press conference on Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s alleged blasphemy in Jakarta on Nov.9. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
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ndonesia’s second largest Islamic organization Muhammadiyah has urged Aceh authorities to track down and arrest the persons responsible for an arson attack on one of its mosques in the province.
An unidentified crowd set ablaze on Tuesday evening the At Taqwa Mosque – which was under construction – in Sangso village, Bireun regency, in an assault the organization said had tainted tolerance in Aceh.
“Whoever burnt our mosque [in Bireun] are simply intolerant individuals,” former Muhammadiyah leader Din Syamsuddin told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Din said that he was informed about the incident by the leadership of Muhammadiyah’s Aceh office in the early hours of Wednesday.
Rejection of the mosque’s construction emerged three years ago when plans for it was first revealed.
Din said that the organization even received threats as it proceeded with the construction plan.
But Muhammadiyah officials made sure they had fulfilled all the legal requirements to build the mosque, he added.
It remains unclear who was behind the arson attack.
“We have reported the incident to the police and hope that they can soon track down the individuals who burned down the mosque.” (ahw)
