LAKSAMANA.Net, November 25, 2003 06:46 PM
Baasyir Blames Australia for Speech Ban
Laksamana.Net - Jailed radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir has blamed
Australia for a decision by Indonesian authorities to ban him from making a speech
critical of Jews, Christians and Americans during Idul Fitri prayers.
The outspoken cleric, who is serving a four-year sentence for treason, had reportedly
planned to use the speech on Tuesday (25/11/03) to accuse the US, Jews and
Christians of destroying Islam.
Although authorities banned the sermon, Baasyir was permitted to bless some fellow
prisoners at Central Jakarta's Salemba jail. He later spoke to reporters and unleashed
his anti-American and anti-Semitic invective.
"I call for the government as well as Muslim clerics around the country to break our
relations with the US government because US President George W. Bush is allowing
Jews to set the country's foreign policy, which includes waging war against Islam," he
was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. He also called for a boycott of
American products.
Australian Embassy official Kirk Coningham denied Australia was behind the speech
ban. "It's bizarre and ludicrous to suggest that we would have any interest in
canceling his speech or the capacity to do so," he was quoted as saying by AP.
As Baasyir was prevented from preaching, the early morning Idul Fitri prayers at the
jail were led by another cleric, who urged the prisoners to be good Muslims.
Baasyir was convicted in September of treason for seeking to overthrow the
government and set up an Islamic state, but was acquitted of being the spiritual leader
of regional terrorism network Jemaah Islamiyah.
Jemaah Islamiyah is accused of responsibility for the October 2002 Bali nightclub
bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. The group has also been
blamed for dozens of other terrorist attacks, including the August 2003 bomb blast
that killed 12 people at Jakarta's JW Marriott Hotel.
Baasyir is the cofounder of the Al Mukmin Islamic Boarding School in Ngruki, Solo,
Central Java. Several of the school's students have gone on to become terrorists but
the government has rejected calls to close the school.
Bali Bombers Pray
The three men sentenced to death for planning and carrying out the Bali bombings on
Tuesday morning performed Idul Fitri prayers at the resort island's Kerobokan jail.
Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Mukhlas were joined by 26 other prisoners also convicted
over the bombings during the 30-minute prayer session.
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