The Jakarta Post, 4/23/2004 2:00:20 PM
Ba'asyir says Washington fears his campaign to install Islamic
law
JAKARTA (AP): The alleged spiritual leader of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah
terror network has accused Washington of pressuring Indonesia to keep him in prison
to stop his campaign to establish Islamic law in the world's most populous Muslim
nation.
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, in a jailhouse interview with The Associated Press this week,
insisted he had nothing to do with terrorism or a string of devastating bombings in
Southeast Asia.
Nevertheless, he denounced the United States as an enemy of Muslims, said attacks
on U.S. interests were justified and lauded Osama bin Laden as a "member of Allah's
army."
"America screams ... and then the police say they will arrest me," Bashir said.
"America clearly started a war against Islam. We are right to defend ourselves."
Indonesian prosecutors have previously tried to convict Ba'asyir on terror and treason
charges. But after a series of appeals, have only managed to keep the slender,
white-bearded preacher behind bars for a few months on minor immigration violations.
He is due for release next week, but it is unlikely he will go free. Indonesian police are
facing intense pressure from the United States and Australia, and announced last
week they had found new evidence against Ba'asyir, meaning he'll likely stay injail
and will face a retrial.
Bashir was defiant during the AP interview that was conducted in the presence of his
lawyers in Jakarta's Salemba Prison on Thursday.
"America knows I have nothing to do with bombings or terrorism," said Ba'asyir, who
sat cross-legged on a plastic mat in a corner of the prison yard. He occasionally
raised his finger when making a point, or fiddled with a white scarf slung over his
shoulder.
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