Vice President Ma’ruf Amin urged law enforcers to legally process 300 unidentified people, who attacked the As Sunnah Islamic boarding school in Bagek Nyaka, East Lombok District, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

“If there is an incident, such as this in Lombok, I press for a legal process to be followed in line with the existing regulations in Indonesia. Whoever the violators are, they must be processed,” Amin affirmed here on Wednesday.

The vice president emphasized the importance of tolerance and harmony among interfaith communities.

“Surely, we must realize about the importance of tolerance and living in harmony, side by side, so there is no more conflict,” he stated.

The boarding school was attacked in the wee hours of Sunday (Jan 2) by some 300 unknown people, who damaged and set ablaze several vehicles and a mosque under construction in the boarding school complex.

Spokesman of the West Nusa Tenggara Police Senior Commissioner Artanto noted that the police had questioned 17 people as witnesses in the incident.

“The witnesses being questioned are those, who were at the crime scene when the incident occurred,” he remarked.

The police also investigated a statement of Ustadz Mizan Qudsiah, a teacher of the boarding school, believed to have triggered the attack.

In a short video, Qudsiah allegedly discredited sacred tombs existing on Lombok Island.

The police will probe whether the statement could be categorized as hate speech.

The boarding school is currently guarded by security officers.

Source: Antara News