Palu (AsiaNews) Indonesian police has confirmed that at least five peoplethree police officers and two sect members have died in clashes with the Madhi Muslim sect in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province. Three additional policemen are missing.
Police spokesperson Inspector General Aryanto Boedihardjo stated that the incident occurred as a result of an investigation into a Muslim sect that has been accused of apostasy and violence.
The group is named after Mahdi, a 27-year-old man, accused of promoting an unorthodox version of Islam in which fasting and the five daily prayers are not compulsory. His alleged teachings have provoked the ire of traditional Indonesian Muslims who have reported the situation to the authorities.
First Inspector Dandang, from Palu police, and 15 officers went to investigate the sect and find out whether it actually espoused such religious views.
When they raided its headquarters in Salena and tried to take away some members, sect members pulled out machetes and other weapons and attacked them.
Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni said the sect was illegal and its teachings contrary to Islam. However, many Islamic leaders protested against the violent police raid.
"The headquarters should not have been raided," said Kommaruddin Hidayat, a religious scholar from Jakarta Islamic University. "It is understandable that the men would have rebelled against the arrest of their leaders."
He did however agree with the minister that from a religious point of view the sect is illegal and that its success is the product of "a charismatic personality appealing to people who are poor and ignorant".