He arrived at the Directorate of General Crime Investigation at around 10.4am along with the chief of GNPF MUI (the national movement to safeguard Indonesia Ulema Councils fatwa), Bahctiar Nasir, and FPI spokesman Munarman.
Rizieq said he came to respond to summon by police investigators for questioning as a witness to Soekarnoputri, as a suspect in the alleged case of treason.
"With regard to meetings, Ibu (Mrs) Rachmawati once came to my house, and I too once visited her house. Rachmawati had also taken part in rallies and met national and Islamic mass organizations," he stated.
He added that no plan to commit treason or conspiracy had been discussed during the meetings.
"Our meetings were all related to 411 (November 4, 2016) and 212 (December 2, 2016) rallies that we organized," he remarked.
The Jakarta police have named former army members Kivlan Zein and Adityawarman; and activists Ratna Sarumpaet, Firza Husein, Eko, Alvin, Rachmawati, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Eko Suryo Santjojo and Hatta Taliwang as suspects for allegedly committing treason.
The police have also questioned economic observer Ichsanuddin Noorsy as a witness for allegedly having attended meetings held by Rachmawati, who is also the sister of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Supporters of Rizieq, Bachtiar Nasir and Munarman rallied in the street in front of the Metropolitan Police Headquarters to support their leaders.
West Java police have also named Rizieq as a suspect for defaming the state ideology Pancasila and the first president Soekarno.
"We have upgraded the status of Rizieq from witness to suspect" the West Java Police Command spokesman Senior Commissioner Yusri Yunus told newsmen here on Monday last week.
He explained that the decision was made after all the factors needed to name him as a suspect had been discovered.
"All factors needed have been met (to name him suspect)," he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
