FPI leader likely to be declared suspect: Police

JAKARTA. The police will conduct a second case screening against Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab for allegedly insulting state ideology Pancasila on Monday and are likely raise his status to that of suspect, an official has said.

“Most likely his [Rizieq] status will be raised to suspect,” West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan said in Jakarta on Friday as reported by tribunnews.com.

Anton said police investigators would question additional witness on Monday to meet the requirement of evidence.

He said Rizieq would not automatically be detained if his status was raised to that of suspect.

“It’s not a must. [He] may or may not be detained,” he added.

Rizieq was reported to the police by Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, a daughter of first president Sukarno, for insulting Pancasila through a speech that went viral.

Rizieq is also facing questioning by the Jakarta Police for criticizing Indonesian banknotes by claiming that the bills contained the hammer and sickle, symbols of the banned Indonesian Communist Party.