Bareskrim investigators remain professional, objective, and open to all inputs.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) will press on with conducting a transparent, open, and objective probe into the fatal shooting of six members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

"Bareskrim investigators remain professional, objective, and open to all inputs," Bareskrim Director of General Crimes Brigadier General Andi Rian Djajadi asserted here on Monday in response to the findings of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

The Bareskrim Directorate of General Crimes has, until now, subject 82 witnesses to intense questioning as part of its probe into the shooting case.

"There have been 82 witnesses," he remarked.

Djajadi confirmed that Bareskrim investigators had yet to receive information from the relatives of six slain FPI members since they had refused to face questioning.

Djajadi did not question the refusal since the penal code accorded to them this right.

"The relatives have the right to refuse to become witnesses and the right is guaranteed in line with article 168 of the penal code," he stated.

Komnas HAM had disclosed several on-field findings pertaining to the shooting of six FPI members at the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road earlier this month.

Komnas HAM's monitoring and investigation team found seven bullet projectiles and four bullet casings in the vicinity of the incident.

All the pieces of evidence will undergo a ballistic test and will be matched against the weapons utilized to shoot the six FPI guards.

Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief, Inspector General Fadil Imran, declared that on-duty police investigation officers had shot dead six guards of FPI leader Muhammad Rizieq Shihab for attacking them.

Imran informed that the incident took place at 00:30 a.m. local time on December 7, 2020.

At the time of the shooting, the officers were probing information on a likely mobilization of masses for which Shihab was to be grilled by the Jakarta Police, he noted.

The Jakarta Police had summoned Shihab for allegedly violating COVID-19 health protocols during his daughter's wedding that coincided with the maulid, which marks the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, resulting in the amassing of people.

"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 stated.

The Jakarta Police chief confirmed that of the 10 attackers, six were killed during the shooting, while four fled the scene.

Imran confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported from the police side, though their vehicle had incurred damage after being hit by the vehicle carrying the FPI members, who opened fire.

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

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


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Translator: Anita Permata D/Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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