ABC AUSTRALIA, 21/10/2002 23:03:04
Lawyers say Bashir's health is improving
Lawyers for the Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir say the radical leader's
health has improved during his stay in hospital, where he is under police detention.
Our Jakarta correspondent Tim Palmer says the alleged head of the Islamic group
Jemaah Islamiah Islamic will face charges carrying the death penalty, according to
information passed on to his legal team.
Police presented the 64-year-old cleric with a letter in hospital detailing allegations
against him, among them that he plotted the assassination of President Megawati
Sukarnoputri and was involved in a number of bombings in Jakarta.
One of Mr Bashir's lawyers, Achmad Michdan, says due legal process must not be
influenced by allegations made in the media against his client.
"He's only a teacher for religion, he's a teacher in his school," Mr Michdan says.
"He didn't do bomb or (tried) to kill President Megawati," he says.
"The case is not really the case of the crime, but this is political, because this is
under pressure from a superpower, like America."
21/10/2002 23:03:04 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
