Multa Fidrus and Theresia Sufa, Tangerang – Three Tangerang men were arrested Monday for planning to set up an independent state in West Java.

"State" paraphernalia and documents were found by police at the movement's Tangerang base, a modest house in Jayanti district.

The three men, identified as Syahron, Badri and Suhaedi, belong to the Sunda Nusantara Community Communications Forum (FKMSN). Sunda was the name of a kingdom in West Java. About 15 percent of the Indonesian population today speak Sundanese.

Police seized a red-and-white flag bearing five stars, a number of documents, a kujang (traditional dagger) and stamps and stickers that were ready for distribution.

Tangerang Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Adex Yudiswan said neighbors were concerned about the nature of the group's activities. He said the movement planned to establish a new state, which they called Sunda Nusantara.

A suspect, Syahron, said the forum wanted to "get history straight" because Sunda Nusantara was an independent state, long before Indonesia existed. "Sunda Nusantara needs to be revived because history has been glossed over," he said.

He said Indonesia may have declared its independence in 1945, but long before that the people, from Sabang to Merauke – the eastern and western extremities of the nation – were part of the United State of Sunda Nusantara.

"We don't want to establish a state within a state. We want to revive a state that was buried. Therefore, the FKMSN does not acknowledge the Republic of Indonesia, nor the Pancasila, which embodies the basic principles of Indonesia as an independent state," he said Syahron said the forum was established in 2001 by a man called Achmad Sujai, who leads the movement from its headquarters in Bogor, West Java.

The forum has chapters in Bandung, Garut, Cirebon, Sukabumi, Lebak, Karawang, Cianjur, Bekasi and Jakarta. Each chapter has a chairman who is assigned to recruit followers. "In Tangerang, we have recruited as many as 700 followers, mostly locals," Syahron said.

Separately, the head of Jayanti district administration, Ari Novi Purnama, said officials had been observing the group since January. "The movement is very dangerous and could cause the nation to fall apart. Their presence is a threat," he said.

He said the administration was suspicious of the forum on a number of counts. "First, they established a base in Pabuaran village, Jayanti, which is far from the capital. Most Pabuaran residents are poor and uneducated," he said.

Tangerang police summoned Syahron and several members of the group for questioning early last month but they were released due to lack of evidence.

Bogor Police also raided a house Tuesday on Jl. Pendidikan in Babakan, Bogor, which is believed to be the forum's Bogor base. They arrested a man identified as Muhamad Husain, who said he was merely an employee of the so-termed Sunda Kingdom Council.

Bogor Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Iwan said the raid was conducted in response to information from Tangerang Police. Muhamad is still being questioned by police.

A Jl. Pendidikan resident, Pipin, said she had been completely unaware of what was being discussed in the all-night meetings held at the house. "They frequently held meetings from dusk until dawn. I thought they were just a bunch of people talking business"