Armed men attack mosque in southern Jakarta

Armed men attack mosque in southern Jakarta

2010-12-04 01:38:09 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- A group of armed men on Friday attacked the Ahmadiyah mosque in Kebayoran Lama, south Jakarta, but no fatalities were reported, officials said.

The attack took place in the early hours of Friday and the attackers armed with swords and machetes smashed windows and lamps. The attack lasted less than a minute.

"The attackers claimed to be from the Majelis Pembela Rasulullah [Rasulullah Defender's Council," the mosque security head Deden Sudjana said.

After the attack, police forces arrived at the scene and secured the area. Police officers even fired warning shots to disperse the attackers but did not apprehend any of them.

In October, hundreds of people sea a mosque and five residences on fire in the Ciampea village in Bogor. The houses belonged to followers of Ahmadiyah. Residents had to flee to avoid been attacked by the angry mob.

The attack was made following reports that an Ahmadiyah member stabbed a relative of one of the attackers which caused anger in the village's population.

The Indonesian Ulema Council has banned Ahmadiyah and its teachings, calling the sect as heretical.

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