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JAKARTA: Indonesia has banned the controversial but politically influential hard-line group, the Islamic Defenders Front, the country’s chief security minister announced on Wednesday (December 30).
Mahfud MD said that the group, widely known by its acronym FPI, had been officially outlawed, effective immediately. The FPI is led by Islamic cleric Rizieq Shihab, a controversial figure in Indonesian politics, who was arrested earlier this month.
“The government has banned the activities of the FPI and will stop any activity carried out by the FPI,” said Mahfud. “FPI no longer has legal capacity,” he added.
Shihab recently returned home on November 10 from a three-year exile in Saudi Arabia after criminal charges, including a pornography case, were dropped.
Television images showed thousands of men, women and children, many dressed in white Islamic robes, chanting “God is great” as they marched and filled a main road to the airport arrival gates. They stopped traffic on the way to the airport.
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On December 12, the cleric surrendered to Indonesian authorities after he was accused of inciting people to violate COVID-19 pandemic restrictions by holding events with large crowds.
READ: Indonesian cleric Rizieq Shihab surrenders for COVID-19 violations
Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus told a press conference the day before that Shihab is accused of ignoring measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 by holding an event to mark Prophet Muhammad’s birthday and wedding. of his daughter last month that attracted thousands of his own. sympathizers.
He said Shihab could face up to six years in prison if found guilty of inciting people to violate health regulations amid an outbreak and obstructing law enforcement.
