TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As the Indonesian capital braces for the rally of thousands of hardline Muslim groups, photos of Turkish Ambassador M. K. Sander Gurbuz and the official diplomatic vehicles bearing the Turkish flag were taken at the Istiqlal Mosque yesterday. He was seen with a few FPI (Islamic Defenders Front) sympathizers.

A Facebook user, Said Anshar, later posted the photos with the caption “Road to Istana, support from Mr. Erdogan conveyed by the staff of the Turkish Embassy”. It has been shared more than 100 times and generated many comments mainly thanking the transcontinental republic for its support.

But Gurbuz clarified in his statement that the photo taken on November 3 was simply a site visit of the Turkish Deputy Minister of National Defense Suay Alpay, who came to Jakarta for the Indo Defense International Forum, held this week.

“Our Deputy Defense Minister visited Monas and Istiqlal Mosque during a sightseeing yesterday. It has nothing to do with today’s demonstration,” he told Tempo English.

Gurbuz added that people who gathered at the mosque yesterday only saw the official cars and asked for photos with Alpay. “No one in our group has said or mentioned anything about today’s event,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that some people would use (the photo) for their own purposes.”

AMANDA SIDDHARTA