Indonesia Highlights: Jakarta Metropolitan Police Formally Arrest FPI Chief Rizieq Shihab | Indonesian Government Scrapped Plans to Reconcile with FPI | Indonesia’s Densus 88 Counterterrorist Police Capture 2002 Bali Bombing Fugitive

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.COM - The long arm of the law has finally caught up with Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) head Rizieq Shihab, as the possibility of getting arrested by the Jakarta Metropolitan Police prompted the firebrand cleric to turn himself in.

The FPI is also confirmed to lose ground in official circles, as Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD scrapped plans to reconcile with the group even before Rizieq’s return from exile in Saudi Arabia on November 10.

In another development, the Indonesian National Police’s Detachment 88 counterterrorist police arrested a fugitive from the first Bali Bombing in 2002 at Lampung Province.

Read on to get the details on these stories.

Kompas.com/Sonya Teresa FPI chief Rizieq Shihab turns himself in at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters on Saturday (13/12/2020)

1. Indonesia Highlights: Jakarta Metropolitan Police Arrests FPI Chief Rizieq Shihab

The Jakarta Metropolitan Police has officially arrested Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) head Rizieq Shihab hours after the firebrand cleric turned himself in on Saturday, December 12.

“Rizieq will be detained until December 31. He will be in our custody to keep him from evading us, to keep him from obstructing justice, and to facilitate our investigations [of the FPI],” said Indonesian National Police spokesman Inspector General Argo Yuwono.

Jakarta Metropolitan Police spokesman Chief Police Commssioner Yusri Yunus agreed. “[Rizieq] was afraid of getting arrested, so he turned himself in." 

"His arrival at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police was not as a witness summoned for questioning, but as a suspect in a number of cases.” Yusri added that the police also offered Rizieq’s accomplices the option of turning themselves in or getting arrested.

Rizieq denied going on the run. “I did not show at the previous police summons on December 1 and December 7 because of ill health." 

FPI’s secretary Munarman said: “[Rizieq] hopes that the case against will not divert public attention from the police killing of six FPI members on a toll road outside Jakarta.” The incident left four FPI members at large.

The police said they killed the FPI members after the latter crashed into a police car shadowing them. The men then started to attack with sharp weapons and guns. The FPI denied instigating the attack.

The police brought various charges against Rizieq, among them violating health protocols, inciting violence, and obstructing a police investigation.

The police focused on him after he held large gatherings that violated health protocols, soon after he returned from three years of exile in Saudi Arabia on Novembe 10.

These include celebrations near his residence in Petamburan, Central Jakarta to mark the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, as well as his daughter’s wedding reception on November 14.

Webinar Tanoto Foundation Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD gives an online speech to Tanoto Foundation Alumni