Regional

FPI members clash with residents in Lamongan

Senin, 12 Agustus 2013 | 08:31 WIB

Lamongan, NU Online
A clash erupted between Lamongan Islam Defenders Front (FPI) members and local residents in Lamongan regency, East Java, injuring one resident and damaging two motorcycles and two houses, a police officer said on Monday.<>

Tribunnews.com reported that the clash was allegedly sparked by the mistreatment of the wife of an FPI member, which in turn conducted a search to locate the perpetrators in Gowah hamlet, Blimbing village.

Failure to find the perpetrators resulted in FPI members reportedly damaging the houses and other belongings of residents.

The residents countered by attacking neighboring Gowah hamlet, the center of FPI activities in Blimbing village. As the FPI members were armed, the residents eventually withdrew.

Lamongan Police chief AKBP Solehan said officers were immediately deployed to the site to prevent the clash from escalating. The police briefly detained several FPI members for questioning, he said.

“We are investigating the case,” he said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq