Radical Indonesia Cleric Rejects Terrorism Charges

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: PDT JAKARTA, Indonesia -- A radical Indonesian cleric facing life in prison on terrorism charges professed his innocence Monday and rejected the trial as outside Islamic law in a final court appearance before judges announce a verdict.

Abu Bakar Bashir is accused of helping to set up and fund a terror training camp in Aceh province for a group that allegedly planned attacks on foreigners and assassinations of moderate Muslim leaders such as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Prosecutors have sought a life sentence for Bashir, who co-founded the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah network, which is blamed for some of Indonesia's deadliest suicide bombings.

Bashir, 72, denies involvement with the training camp but has repeatedly defended it as legal under Islam.

The white-bearded cleric told a Jakarta court that the case against him was fabricated and witnesses that testified by teleconference were doing so under pressure.

"Therefore their testimonies could not be trusted," he said. » | Associated Press | Monday, June 06, 2011

Bashir Walks Out of Trial
Mar 21 - Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir walks out of court for a third time at witness testimonies delivered via video link. Marie-Claire Fennessy reports

Bashir in Jakarta Court
Mar 7 - Another court appearance for Abu Baka Bashir who is accused of planning to use weapons to commit acts of terror. Julie Noce, reports

Abu Bakar Bashir Terrorism Trial Begins in Jakarta
THE AUSTRALIAN: THE trial of alleged terrorist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir began this morning under massive security at South Jakarta District Court, only to be adjourned almost immediately.

Bashir, 72, who was convicted of conspiring in the 2002 Bali bombings but acquitted on appeal, faces seven terrorism-related charges stemming from his alleged role in organising an Islamic militant training camp in Aceh province that was broken-up last February.

The most serious charge, “planning or motivating others to commit terrorist acts carries a mandatory maximum penalty, either execution or life imprisonment.

More than 1500 police, including heavily armed rapid response officers, surrounded the courtroom and plainclothesmen moved among his supporters, who appeared to number about 300.

As Bashir was brought from a holding room to the court, the broadly smiling cleric said: “I feel as usual, the Prophet Mohammed also experienced this.” >>> Peter Alford, Jakarta correspondent | Thursday, February 10, 2011

Radical Cleric Abu Bakar Bashir Arrested in Indonesia
THE TELEGRAPH: Radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, once imprisoned for his links to the terror group behind the Bali bombings, has been arrested for alleged involvement with a new militant network.

His lawyer, Muhammad Ali, said the arrest took place on Monday morning in West Java's Ciamis district.

Bashir is best known as the founder and spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group responsible for the 2002 bombings on Indonesia's resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, many of them foreign tourists.

He spent several years in prison for his involvement with the group, but was released in 2006.

He was re-arrested for alleged involvement with a new terror cell in Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh, the lawyer said.

Authorities discovered the new group in February and said it was allegedly planning to assassinate the president and carry out Mumbai-style attacks targeting foreigners. >>> | Monday, August 09, 2010

Beat Up Infidel Tourists, Says Radical Cleric Abu Bakar Bashir
RELIGION NEWS BLOG: Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has returned to his hardline rhetoric with a call for followers to beat up Western tourists and for young Muslims to die as martyrs.

In the sermon, organised by an Islamic youth organisation and delivered a few kilometres from the home village of convicted Bali bombers Amrozi and Mukhlas, Bashir likened tourists in Bali to “worms, snakes, maggots”, and specifically referred to the immorality of Australian infidels.

The address was caught on video by an Australian university student.

“The youth movement here must aspire to a martyrdom death,” said the cleric, who was convicted of conspiracy over the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, but was later cleared and released from prison.

“The young must be first at the front line - don’t hide at the back. You must be at the front, die as martyrs and all your sins will be forgiven. This is how to achieve forgiveness.”

Observers said the sermon’s content was a clear indication of what many terrorism academics have noted - that the accused spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiah has been emboldened by his release from prison last year after serving 26 months for conspiracy in relation to the Bali blasts. Beat Up Infidel Tourists, Says Radical Cleric >>> By Natasha Robinson (From The Australian

Hat tip: Tammy Swofford

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