Gov`t: Rizieq Shihab Not a Victim of Intelligence Operation
8 November 2018 20:48 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko asserted that the Indonesian government did not have any involvement in the criminal case implicating the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab in Saudi Arabia.
“I would never analyze it that far. We would not do anything conduct careless acts in another country,” said Moeldoko at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta today, November 8.
The former Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Commander also denied accusations of the Indonesian Intelligence Agency (BIN) perpetrating the case. He maintained that members of the intelligence do not work that way; “That would be a crummy intelligence operation,” Moeldoko laughed.
Previously, 212 Brotherhood spokesman Novel Bamukmin suspected a black intelligence operation was the driving force behind the arrest of Rizieq Shihab, which was intentionally made to discredit the FPI leader.
“The HTI flag case was engineered. Indonesia is saturated with games played by state rulers,” said Novel to Tempo on Wednesday, November 7.
Furthermore, Moeldoko reminded people to stop making false accusations and suggested Rizieq’s group to contemplate the matter with a more logical approach. “If it involved myself, I would first ask myself who my enemies are, which there are plenty.”
Rizieq Shihab was apprehended by Saudi Arabia authorities after he was suspected of brandishing a black flag resembling the extinct radical Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI).
AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI