Indonesian police questioning Australian man who allegedly spat on imam in West Java mosque

An Australian is being questioned by Indonesian police over allegations he spat in the face of an imam in a West Java mosque. See the video.

An Australian man has been arrested in Indonesia after allegedly spitting in the face of a religious leader during an early morning call to prayer at a West Java mosque.

Video has been widely circulated on Instagram apparently showing CCTV footage of a man walking up to Imam Muhammad Basri Anwar, 24, before talking to him and then spitting in his face.

The video shows the imam immediately flees, before the man turns and walks away from the mosque in Buahbata, Bandung.

Indonesian police later arrested the Australian man, who has been named as Brenton Craig Abbas Abdullah McArthur, at the Soekarno Hatta International Airport.

He had reportedly been staying at a hotel next to the mosque, but checked out from the hotel after the incident, before heading to the airport where police caught up with him on Friday night.

Brenton Craig Abbas Abdullah McArthur, pictured at Bandung Police Station in West Java. Picture: Supplied

He is being questioned at Bandung Police Station in West Java. In a statement to the media on Saturday, Bandung police chief Budi Sartono said they had received information about the incident and seen the video that “went viral in social media”.

“We immediately ask immigration to stop him and cancel him from leaving the country,” he said.

“We immediately pick him up at the airport and take him to the Bandung Police Station for interrogation. We will see how the interrogation result later.”

He said the Australian embassy had been notified to allow a representative to accompany McArthur during the interrogation.

See the video

He said police were still investigating the motive behind the alleged attack. There is no suggestion that McArthur was attempting to flee police, and he reportedly had a ticket booked to return to Australia on Friday.

Muhammad Basri Anwar told local media he was shocked when the foreigner allegedly spat at him.

“He was the guest from the hotel that located in front of the mosque,” he said.

“I don’t understand why, but maybe he feels uncomfortable when hear me reading the al quran. He came to the mosque, then he turn off the sound. He said something, but I don’t understand. He said f … for about five or six times. And then he said f … you and spit on my face,”

“I feel shock. I feel trauma. I run into the office and lock the door.”

Police are reportedly still questioning McArthur and have not yet made any statements on whether he is facing criminal charges or is to be deported.

Indonesian Immigration said in a statement that he would face deportation and could be banned from entering Indonesia for at least six months.