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Three Arrested in Attack on E. Java Pesantren but Motive Still Unclear
Amir Tejo | February 16, 2011

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Surabaya. Police on Tuesday arrested three people in connection with an attack by an angry mob on an Islamic boarding school in East Java.

Police said at least four people were injured in the attack on the Al Ma’hadul Islam pesantren (boarding school), located in the Kenep village of Beji subdistrict in Pasuruan.

According to police, dozens of people wearing Islamic robes gathered in front of the school and at around 2 p.m. and began throwing stones at the building.

They also vandalized the gates of the pesantren as well as the school’s security post. Police identified the injured as 19-year-old Muhammad Baragba, 15-year-old Muhammad Ali Reza, 15-year-old Abdul Qodir and Migdad Alhadar, 17.

Hundreds of officers from the National Police’s elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) and the East Java Police have since been stationed around the school to secure the scene.

Activists on Tuesday decried the attack and leveled criticism at the police for inaction.

“We condemn this attack. Police also did nothing in this incident. They stood by and did nothing,” said Dedy Prihambudi, former head of the Surabaya Legal Aid Foundation.

“I won’t be surprised if the police had been unaware of the attack beforehand. We are however trying to get more information on this attack.”

The attack, according to a source who wished to remain anonymous, was carried out by Sunni Muslims who believed the school was harboring Shiite followers of Islam. Sunni Islam, followed by most Indonesian Muslims, is the world’s largest denomination of the faith.

Another anonymous source said the attack wasn’t motivated by anti-Shiite sentiment, but was brought about by infighting between Arab groups in the district.

Dedy said that according to information he had received, the attack occurred after a prayer meeting in the Purwosasi region of Pasuruan.

“It is not clear what was said at that prayer meeting. But shortly after that, there was a sort of a convoy,” Dedy said. “And then they headed to this pesantren and attacked.”

Dedy added that confrontations had occurred in 2006 and 2007 over the Shiite and Sunni rift in Pasuruan, but none had reached this level of violence.

East Java Police spokeswoman Sr. Comr. Pudji Astuti lashed out at allegations of neglect by the police.

“Do not say things like police allowed this to happen by doing nothing. We are doing our best,” Pudji said.

Separately, Pasuruan Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Syahardiantono said his officers had interrogated the three suspects, but police were not yet willing to reveal their identities or motives.

East Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Badrodin Haiti added that following the attack he had held an emergency meeting on calming tensions and securing Pasuruan with high-ranking area police and military commanders, Nahdlatul Ulama officials and Al Ma’hadul Islam staff.