REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Police have named two suspects on tawheed flag --which stated by police as former Islamic mass organization Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) flag-- burning case. The two suspects identified by their initials as M and F.

According to Director of General Crimes of the West Java Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Umar Surya Fana, M and F were determined as suspects based on Article 174 of Criminal Code related to allegation of making an uproar on a general assembly. The police have pocketed evidences and examined witnesses on the case.

Police also have examined U, the flag carrier whom they called as intruder to the National Santri Day event on last Monday (Oct 22). Earlier on Friday (Oct 26), U has been named suspect for creating an uproar. He could face three weeks in jail and fine of Rp900 if found guilty.

"We have three suspects, namely the flag owner and two men who burn the flag," Umar said when contacted by Republika.co.id, on Monday (Oct 29).

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The case started when Nahdlatul Ulama's youth wing, Gerakan Pemuda Ansor (GP Ansor) members saw a flag bearing tawheed (Laa Ilaha Ilallah, the oneness of God) sentence brought to National Santri Day event in Limbangan, Garut, West Java, Monday (Oct 22). Committee of the event has prohibited any flag except Red and White flag raised in the event.

The two GP Ansor members then seized the flag and drag the flag carrier away from the event. They burned the flag, assuming it was HTI flag. HTI was an organization disbanded by the government.

Previously, West Java Police and Garut Police said based on open expose on the flag burning case, the flag burners and chairman of the committee did not mens rea to be named as suspect. Therefore, they remained set as witnesses.

“The three Banser member can’t be suspected of committing criminal act because one of the elements, namely evil intentions, is not fulfilled," National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo said on Thursday (Oct 25).

Meanwhile, Head of the National Criminal Investigation Agency, Commissioner General Police Arief Sulistyanto said on Friday (Oct 26) that U carried the flag because he was fond of it.

"At the BAP (the interrogation report) says, he brings the flag because he likes it," said Arief.

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