Jakarta (ANTARA) - National Police said it is conducting a “professional” and “transparent” probe into the fatal shooting of six guards of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq Shihab by applying the principles of scientific crime investigation.

"In the investigation process, the (National Police's) Internal Affairs Division (Propam) is also involved," chief of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate, Coms.Gen.Listyo Sigit Prabowo, was quoted by ANTARA as saying in Jakarta on Friday.

Prabowo also hinted that his directorate would let external parties provide inputs and suggestions in connection with the police's investigation into the fatal shooting.

To keep the public well-informed about the progress of the probe into the case, the police will issue press statements to the media regularly, he said.

On Monday, Jakarta Metropolitan Police chief, Inspector General Fadil Imran, had informed that on-duty police investigation officers had shot dead six guards of FPI leader Habib Rizieq Shihab for attacking them.

The alleged incident took place on Monday (December 7, 2020) at 00:30 a.m. local time on the Jakarta-Cikampek KM 50 Toll Road, Imran revealed.

The incident reportedly occurred when officers were gathering information on a likely mobilization of masses for which Shihab was to be grilled by the Jakarta Police.

The Jakarta Police had summoned Shihab for allegedly violating COVID-19 health protocols during his daughter's wedding which coincided with the maulid (the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad commemoration), leading to crowding.

"When officers of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police followed vehicles suspected of carrying MRS (Muhammad Rizieq Shihab) followers, the officers' vehicle was intercepted and then attacked with firearms and sharp weapons," Imran informed.

The Jakarta Police chief confirmed that of the 10 attackers, six died, while four fled.

Imran confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported from the police side, though their vehicle had suffered damage in the shooting and the collision with the attackers' vehicle.

However, the FPI debunked claims that its members attacked police officers on the grounds that they were unarmed.

"FPI members do not have firearms. A shootout is impossible," Munarman, general secretary of the FPI, stated at a press conference.

Stressing that the fatal shooting was an “extrajudicial killing”, Munarman urged that the truth behind the incident be uncovered by forming an independent fact-finding team with the involvement of Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM). (INE)

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EDITED BY INE







Translator: Anita PD, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
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