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11 FPI members named suspects after commotion during NU's anniversary

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Jakarta Post - February 28, 2019

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The North Sumatra Police named 11 members of hardline group the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) suspects on Thursday for allegedly causing a commotion during the 93rd anniversary event of Indonesia's largest Islamic organization Nahdatul Ulama (NU) in Tebing Tinggi, North Sumatra, held on Wednesday morning.

North Sumatra Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tatan Dirsan Atmaja said the suspects, who are all residents of Tebing Tinggi, violated Article 160 of the Criminal Code on provocation.

"They were shouting misleading statements while wanting the event to be disbanded," Tatan said Thursday, adding that they were wearing shirts with #2019GantiPresiden (2019ChangePresident) on them.

He added that the police would detain the suspects immediately to ease the inspection process.

Tatan said the suspects were provoking the forum while the religious event was still taking place. They were shouting and insisting that the event be disbanded.

The event was attended by authorities, including North Sumatra Police chief Ir. Gen. Agus Andrianto and Tebing Tinggi Mayor Umar Zunaidi Hasibuan. The police have found that their actions were planned prior to the event.

Former North Sumatra FPI leader Indra Suheri said the FPI made the move because they assumed that the NU forum would declare support for the incumbent Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Ma'ruf Amin, who is a former NU supreme leader.

"They were protesting the religious event being used as a political arena," Indra, who is now the leader of Forum Umat Islam (FUI) in North Sumatra, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. (das)

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/02/28/11-fpi-members-named-suspects-after-commotion-during-nus-anniversary.html

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