Terror trial: Cleric jailed

2005-03-03 07:54

Jakarta - Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, accused of leading an al-Qaeda-linked group blamed for bombings across Asia, was jailed for two-and-a-half-years on Thursday at the end of his second terrorism trial.

Bashir was cleared of terrorism allegations but was jailed by a five-member panel of judges after being found guilty of involvement in a "sinister conspiracy" that led to the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people.

"The panel of judges decided that the defendant, Abu Bakar Bashir, has been legally and convincingly proven of engaging in a sinister conspiracy that led to fire and the death of others," Chief judge Sudarto said.

The judges said that his words to key Bali bomber Amrozi and Hutomo Pamungkas during a meeting in Solo, Central Java in 2002 had constituted the conspiracy.

Bashir had told them "I leave it up to you" when he was notified by Amrozi that he and his friends were planning "a programme" in Bali.

Urged calm

The verdict was greeted by yells of "Allahu Akbar (God is greatest)" by his followers both inside and outside the court. The judges were immediately whisked out of the room by armed police.

More than 800 police were deployed around the agriculture ministry complex in south Jakarta where the trial was being held. It is the second time the man accused of leading the Jemaah Islamiyah group has faced terrorism charges.

The white-bearded Bashir, 66, looked frail in court dressed in his traditional white robe and shawl, a white skullcap and glasses.

Prosecutors had demanded an eight-year prison sentence for Bashir for failing to prevent Jeemaah Islamiyah members from carrying out terror attacks.

The main charge that Bashir and his supporters planned the Bali bombings and the bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in 2003 had been dropped for lack of evidence.

Prosecutors in their indictment said that as Jemaah Islamiyah chief, Bashir visited one of its training camps in the Philippines in 2000 and allegedly relayed a "ruling from Osama bin Laden which permitted attacks and killings of Americans and their allies".

Indonesia has come under pressure from the United States and Australia to act against Bashir, and the trial has heard evidence that Indonesia was asked to hand him over to the US authorities.

Shortly before Thursday's court session, Bashir said that if he was found guilty it would be a "tyrannical verdict", but he appealed to his followers not to react with violence if he was convicted.

"If Allah decides to free me, then we should not be overly happy but if Allah decides that I remain in detention, if the judges do not free me, we should also not react excessively," Bashir said.

Bashir maintained that US President George W Bush, "the enemy of Allah", has pressured Indonesia to jail him to stop him campaigning for Islamic law.

- AFP