ABC AUSTRALIA, 01/12/2003 23:09:51
Indonesian court clears Bashir of treason
An appeal court in the Indonesian capial, Jakarta, has overturned a treason conviction
against militant Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir.
Bashir, 65, who is accused of being the spiritual leader of the Jemaah Islamiah
militant network, was found guilty of treason and other charges by a Jakarta district
court in September.
He was convicted of taking part in a JI plot to overthrow the government.
However, the High Court chief prosecutor, Salman Maryadi, says the court has
overruled the treason conviction, but has upheld his conviction on immigration
offences and forging documents.
The prosecutor says the appeal court has cut Bashir's sentence from three to four
years.
Bashir's lawyer, Ahmad Michda, says he is still not satisfied and will appeal to the
Supreme Court to have all charges dropped.
Jemaah Islamiah is blamed for a string of attacks across South East Asia, including
the Bali blasts on October 12 last year that killed 202 people, and the Marriott Hotel
blast in Jakarta in August that killed 12 people.
01/12/2003 23:09:51 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
