ABC AUSTRALIA, 31/08/2004 21:00:43
Indonesian police reject bid to release terror suspect Bashir
Indonesian police have rejected a legal bid to release terror suspect Abu Bakar
Bashir.
They say they have indisputable evidence of the Islamic cleric's involvement in the
bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last year in which 12 people died.
Bashir's lawyers have brought a lawsuit against police for wrongfully arresting and
detaining the cleric on a warrant linking him to the October 2002 Bali bombings.
Police lawyer, Syitono, has told a pre-trial hearing in Jakarta that Bashir is also linked
to the uncovering of a haul of weapons in Semarang.
Prosecutors have confirmed that Bashir will appear in court charged with the Marriott
Hotel attack under a new anti-terror law, which carries a possible death sentence.
Bashir was re-arrested in April, moments after he completed a prison sentence for
immigration violations.
He was initially convicted for involvement in a JI plot to overthrow the government but
that was overturned by an appeal court.
Bashir has denied charges of involvement in terrorism, saying they are a US-inspired
smear campaign against Islam.
31/08/2004 21:00:43 | ABC Radio Australia News
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