Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Residents in Mirring village in West Sulawesi's Polewali Mandar regency forcibly closed an alleged heretical place of worship on Saturday.

The closure followed the arrest of seven residents on Friday for allegedly spreading heretical teachings in the village. The seven were held at the police station for questioning.

One of the seven, Syamsuddin, a 26-year-old alumnus of Alauddin Islamic State Institute in Makassar, was identified as the group's leader. He claimed to be the prophet Haedir, who was born after the prophet Muhammad.

The sect reportedly named its teaching Puang Malea, taken from the name of a mountain in the area.

During Friday's arrest, police confiscated evidence against the sect, including three copies of the Koran and their translations, one of which was written in the South Sulawesi local dialect Lontara, along with scores of other religious-themed books.

Polewali Mandar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. I Gusti Ngurarai Mahaputra said Saturday the arrests were made following reports from residents unsettled by the group and their activities.

"The suspects prevented (other residents) from passing their place of worship, despite it being located near their farms," Mahaputra said.

He said the suspects might belong to a heretical sect as their teachings varied from mainstream Islam.

"An investigation conducted by the regency's religious affairs office deemed the group's teachings to be heretical," Mahaputra said. "But we're still investigating (the group). The religious affairs office will also talk to them and other residents who are their followers."

The teachings recognize Friday prayers only as obligatory, and not the five prayers daily; in the sect, prayers are directed south, rather than to the west as in mainstream Islam.

The prayers, which are conducted bare-chested, usually take place in the hills or on a nearby riverbank.

The sect does recognize the Koran but teaches from a combination of four holy books – the Koran, the Bible, the Zabur and the Taurat/Torah – with claims their teachings are perfect. The sect reportedly has around 20 followers.