Java, crowd of thousands force Islamic fundamentalists to flee
Jakarta
(AsiaNews) - This morning, thousands of Indonesians attacked and chased members
of the Islamic Defender Front (FPI), Islamic extremist group, from Patehan
(Kendal Regency, Central Java). Members
of the fundamentalist organization ran riot around the city on motorcycles and in
vans, to disturb the public peace and cause unrest among the population,
fasting for Ramadan.
Tension
rose when militants on board a van knocked down three people. One of them, a woman, died. Bystanders
attempted to stop the vehicle to question the driver, but the militants fled the
scene. At
that point, thousands on the Islamic extremists, forcing them to flee. 27 of
them sought refuge in a mosque nearby.
Police
arrived on the scene and calmed the anger of the crowd, allowing the militants
to leave. Inside
the place of worship officers found and confiscated weapons and heavy
artillery, belonging to FPI members.
At
first Syihabuddin, branch president of FPI in Central Java, denied that anyone
in the group had hit and killed the woman. However,
his statement was followed by an official apology, claiming that it was an
accident.
Increasingly
the people of Indonesia seem less willing to stand for the excesses, violent
and provocative attitudes of the Islamic Defender Front. Last
year in Palangkaraya (province of central Borneo) the Dayak - Aboriginal
population - prevented the local president of FPI from landing. A
few months ago in Pontianak (West Borneo Province) Dayak thousands of young
people organized a rally to protest the presence of the Islamic extremist group.
30/12/2020 12:40