Fugitive Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) founder Rizieq Shihab is still in Saudi Arabia, still hiding from the Indonesian law enforcement after the Jakarta Police named him a suspect in a high-profile (and highly embarrassing) pornography case. But unlike most fugitives who try to keep a low-profile, Rizieq has been pictured alongside numerous prominent political and religious figures in the last week.
Photos of Rizieq sitting beside fellow firebrand cleric Zakir Naik (who has been banned from preaching in his native India as well as numerous other countries, but was a big hit in Indonesia) as well as National Mandate Party (PAN) patron Amien Rais (who is currently under investigation on corruption charges), made major headlines.
Rizieq also recently met with senior members of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) officials, Salim Segaf Al Jufri, Jazuli Juwaini and Sukamta, who were in Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage.
According to Sukmata, who is the PKS party secretary, his group asked Rizieq to return to their homeland together.
“We already invited (Rizieq Shihab to return to Indonesia),” Sukamta told Tribunnews yesterday.
However, Sukamta said that Rizieq replied that he could not return to Indonesia because his return ticket was on Qatar Airways.
Saudi Arabia and several other Middle Eastern countries cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar last week following accusations that Qatar was funding terrorist organizations. Saudi Arabia has also blocked flights from the country’s national carrier.
“[Rizieq’s ticket] is on Qatar Airlines [sic], so it appears he will wait until they are allowed to enter Saudi Arabia first,” Sukamta said.
Could the reason Rizieq can’t return to Indonesia simply be because he can’t afford a ticket on another airline, or is this simply more misinformation from his supporters? Previously, Rizieq’s lawyers had stated that the FPI leader had an ‘unlimited’ stay visa in Saudi Arabia and that he would not return to Indonesia while President Joko Widodo, who they’ve accused of orchestrating a police conspiracy to ‘criminalize’ Rizieq and other hardliner clerics, was still in power.
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