Much has been speculated about the return of Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab, a fugitive who the authorities have been waiting to return to Indonesia from Saudi Arabia since he was named a suspect in an infamous pornography case in late May.
But it appears the authorities decided to stop waiting. National Police Chief Tito Karnavian said that they sent detectives to Mecca to question Rizieq rather than waiting for him to return to Indonesia, whenever that may be.
“We have interrogated him. The concerned party was (investigated) as a witness (in the pornography case),” Tito said today, as quoted by Detik.
The fact that Rizieq was questioned as a witness is at odds with his status as a suspect in the pornography case. However, Tito said the investigation into Rizieq’s pornography case is still ongoing, and the police are still open to the possibility of interrogating Rizieq further in Indonesia if he eventually returns.
Indonesia and Saudi Arabia do not have an extradition treaty.
Rizieq was said to have planned to return to Indonesia on August 15 so that he could attend FPI’s anniversary celebrations on August 17. But that obviously didn’t happen, presumably because his lawyers said their client won’t return unless the police gave a guarantee that he won’t be investigated in the pornography case (they didn’t).
Rizieq is also supposedly planning to undergo the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca in late August/early September.
In addition to pornography charges, Rizieq is also facing a couple other criminal charges, specifically involving religious blasphemy and defamation of the state, but his pornography case is arguably the most controversial and the most deliciously ironic considering his previous ultra-conservative stance on pornography.
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