JAKARTA, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Jakarta police on Wednesday arrested the top leader of harline group Habib Rizieg Shihab and his 58 other followers for investigating the group's attacks against interfaith activists on Sunday, the city police spokesman Abubakar Natraprawira said.

    The spokesman said that the police had identified 20 members of the Islamic Defenders Front or FPI involving in the attacks against the activists of the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith, which injured more than 20 people.

Caption Riot police stand guard near the headquarters of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) as police officers search for FPI's members in Jakarta June 4, 2008. Indonesian police said they had detained 58 members of the hardline Islamic group for questioning on Wednesday morning following an attack on an interfaith rally in Jakarta on Sunday.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Natraprawira said the police would investigate for determining whether the 20 members were among those being arrested.

    "The police have arrested 59 FPI members including Habib Rizieg Shihab for investigation," he told a press conference at his office here.

    "The police want to determine whether the 20 perpetrators of the attacks are among the 59 people," Natraprawira said.

    The spokesman said the police had confiscated a number of evidence such as blooded T-shirts and other equipment used for the attacks.

    The hardline group launched attacks when hundreds of people organized by the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith marched to celebrate the birthday of the country's principle of life known as Pancasila in a park at the capital of Jakarta.

    Indonesian National Police Chief General Sutanto said on Tuesday that a legal action was to be charged against those from any sides who were against the law.

    Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country with some 87 percent of its 240 million population are Muslims. 




Indonesian police urge gov't to outlaw radical group FPI 

    JAKARTA, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian Police Wednesday called on the government to outlaw the radical Islam Defender Front (FPI) whose dozens of members were detained for Sunday's attack on a religious freedom rally.

    "We remind authorities that the FPI has thus far incited unrest," National Police spokesman Abubakar Nataprawira told a press conference here. Full story

Caption Chairman of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Muhammad Rizieq (2nd L) is escorted from the group's headquarters in Jakarta June 4, 2008. Indonesian police said they had detained 58 members of the hardline Islamic group for questioning on Wednesday morning following an attack on an interfaith rally in Jakarta on Sunday.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>