ABC AUSTRALIA, 30/01/2003 11:05:20
Bali bomb investigators put cleric in the frame
Indonesian police have directly linked militant Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir for the
first time to the bomb attacks on Bali that killed nearly 200 people.
A lawyer for Bashir denied the comments, saying the cleric had condemned the
blasts.
Erwin Mappaseng, head of Indonesia's criminal investigation bureau, says that Bashir,
the alleged head of the Southeast Asian militant Muslim network Jemaah Islamiah,
had given his approval for the attacks.
Mr Mappaseng says the accusation is based on testimony from Indonesian suspects
arrested so far.
He was speaking a day after Indonesia's police chief said for the first time that
Jemaah Islamiah was behind the October 12 blasts.
While Bashir is under arrest on treason charges in Jakarta in connection with church
bombings in 2000, until now police have not linked him to the Bali blasts.
Malaysia and Singapore say 64-year-old Bashir, who has been in police custody
since October, is the spiritual leader of J-I.
30/01/2003 11:05:20 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
