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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Police arrested some 57 members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) on early Wednesday in connection with the Monas (National Monument) violence last Sunday.

FPI Chairman Habib Rizieq Shihab on the occasion also went to Jakarta Police Headquarters, saying he went to the Jakarta Police Headquarters at his own will to accompany his members and to make sure that the police would follow the proper procedures in treating the arrested FPI members.

"To FPI activists, please don`t panic because they will be accompanied by lawyers during the questioning," Rizieq said before leaving the FPI headquarters at Petamburan III, Central Jakarta, for the Jakarta Police HQ.

Around 1,500 policemen went to FPI headquarters at Petamburan to detain FPI members involved in the Monas incident. The police also searched a number of houses near the FPI office to look for more suspects.

Rizieq earlier told his members to cooperate with the police who brought along pictures of FPI members who had been involved in the Monas incident. He also asked them to have courages accountability for what they had done.

Last Tuesday evening (June 3), Jakarta Police Chief Adang Firman made an ultimatum to 10 FPI members, who have been named suspects in the Monas incident, to surrender immediately.

Source