ABC AUSTRALIA, 15/10/2004 23:00:40
Indonesian cleric Bashir charged over bombing of Marriott
Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir will be indicted on charges of terrorism after
prosecutors passed their file on the extremist leader to a Jakarta court.
Our Indonesia correspondent, Tim Palmer, says prosecutors lodging the indictment
have confirmed that Bashir will face charges relating to the bombing of Jakarta's
Marriott Hotel last year.
Prosecutor, Andi Herman, says the indictment lodged with South Jakarta District
Court contains allegations that Bashir ordered or motivated other people to take part
in a terrorist attack on the Marriott Hotel, which killed 12 people.
Bashir's defence team has consistently ridiculed suggestions that the cleric was
behind that attack, as he had been in custody for nine months leading up to the
bombing.
The trial is expected to focus on Bashir's alleged leadership of Jemaah Islamiyah, an
extremist group authorities say has ties to al Qaeda.
Authorities accuse Jemaah Islamiyah of various attacks including last month's
bombing outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, which killed nine people, the
2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people, and last year's JW Marriott hotel suicide
attack, which killed 12.
Bashir has always denied he is linked to terrorism.
Bashir was cleared by an appeal court last year of involvement with Jemaah
Islamiyah, although he remained in jail for immigration-related offences.
He was re-arrested in April as he stepped out of jail after serving that sentence.
Prosecutors intended to charge him for the Bali bombings but a ruling in August by
Indonesia's highest court struck down the retroactive use of a new anti-terrorist law
and left police struggling to compile charges against him.
Police have since amended their allegations, principally tying Bashir to the Marriott
bombing.
15/10/2004 23:00:40 | ABC Radio Australia News
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