Jakarta, Dec. 21, (dpa/GNA) – Indonesia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday it had lodged a protest and sought clarification from the German embassy on the visit of one of the embassy’s diplomatic staff to the headquarters of the vigilante group Islamic Defenders’ Front (FPI).
In a statement released on late Sunday evening, the foreign ministry said it had summoned the embassy’s charge d’affaires and during the meeting with ministry officials, the charge d’affaires confirmed the visit and said that the visit was made without the embassy’s knowledge or instruction and was based on the staff’s personal initiative.
“The charge d’affaires expressed his apologies and regrets for the incident,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the female staff member had been ordered to return to Germany immediately “to take responsibility for her actions” and provide clarification to the German government.”
The charge d’affaires stressed that the incident reflects neither the policies of the German government nor its embassy in Jakarta.
Local media reported that following the visit that occurred on Thursday, top FPI figures claimed that the 30-minute visit showed that the world was paying attention to the death of its six members following a clash with the police two weeks ago when the six were escorting FPI chairperson, hardline cleric Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, during a trip just outside Jakarta.
Jakarta police chief Fadil Imran said the police shot dead the six members after they tried to attack police in Karawang district, but the FPI gave a different account, saying that the six were unarmed and accusing the police of the extrajudicial killings of its members.
GNA