Dec 16, 2008, 8:19 GMT
Jakarta - Indonesian police named the female leader of a controversial cult as a suspect for religious blasphemy Tuesday, an offence punishable by up to five years in prison.
Lia Aminuddin, the leader of the 'Kingdom of Eden,' was brought to the Jakarta city police headquarters on Monday for distributing anti-religious leaflets urging the disbanding of all religions, including Islam.
Police also took 23 other people, including 11 children, to the Jakarta police headquarters for questioning, the Suara Pembaruan daily reported.
Muhammad Iriawan, director of general crime at Jakarta city police, was quoted as saying that Lia and her close aide Wahyu Andito Putro Wibisono had been named suspects following interrogation.
Police said thousands of leaflets had been distributed across Indonesia, the world's most-populous Muslim nation.
One of the leaflets contained a letter allegedly signed by the Biblical Archangel Gabriel, that said, 'I am a God whom you should obey. I have declared an edict to disband Islam as well as other religions.'
Lia could be charged with religious blasphemy, punishable with up to five years in prison. In 2006, she was jailed two years after a conviction on similar charges.
Muslim leaders and lawmakers welcomed the arrest of Lia and her followers, demanding severe punishment and arguing that she provoked reckless behaviour.
The Eden community was formed in the late 1990s. They believe that Lia is the Messiah, chosen by the Archangel Gabriel, who often communicates with her, including telling her to eradicate Islam and blend all religions together.
In 1997, the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country's highest authority on Islam, issued an edict banning the community from teaching misleading religious lessons taken from Islam.
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