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Jakarta Police beef up security ahead of interrogation of FPI leader
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Islam Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab makes a statement to the press after his questioning by the Jakarta Police on Jan. 23. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
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akarta Police are beefing up security to maintain safety during the questioning of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab and two other clerics as witnesses on Wednesday in a case of alleged treason.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said the police had received notification that FPI members would stage a rally in front of the police headquarters.
“They will bring a crowd of about 2,000,” Argo said on Tuesday evening as quoted by Kompas.com.
“We will prepare enough personnel to safeguard [the situation],” he said, adding that the rally should disperse at 6 p.m.
Apart from Rizieq, investigators at the Jakarta Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Ditreskrimum) are set to question FPI secretary-general Munarman and the chairman of the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI), Bachtiar Nasir.
The three men would be questioned in relation to a meeting attended by treason suspect Sri Bintang Pamungkas and several others.
Political activist Sri Bintang and several others, including Gen. (ret) Kivlan Zein, former lawmaker Sri Bintang Pamungkas, artist Ratna Sarumpaet and Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesia’s first president, were arrested on Dec. 2 last year in several locations in Jakarta, hours before a large rally took place to demand the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for blasphemy.
The Dec. 2 rally in front of the State Palace was organized by the FPI and the GNPF-MUI. (fac)
