ABC AUSTRALIA, 30/08/2004 22:49:36
Indonesian court urged to release terror suspect Bashir
Lawyers for Muslim cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, have urged a court to release him,
claiming that police acted wrongfully when they arrested and detained the cleric on a
warrant linking him to the Bali bombings.
The arrest in April was made prior to a ruling by Indonesia's top court outlawing the
retroactive use of a new anti-terror law to cover the Bali attacks.
Since last month's Constitutional Court ruling, police have amended their charge
sheet, principally tying him to last year's bombing of the Marriott hotel in Jakarta that
left 12 dead.
Lawyer Achmad Michdan says the Constitutional Court ruling makes the arrest and
the detention of Bashir, arbitrary and without grounds.
Police allege that Bashir heads the Jemaah Islamiyah regional terror network.
The hearing continues on Tuesday.
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.
30/08/2004 22:49:36 | ABC Radio Australia News
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