ABC AUSTRALIA, 25/08/2004 23:00:28
Indonesian cleric Bashir charged under anti-terror laws
The militant Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, has been charged under the
country's anti-terrorism laws.
Prosecutors say he will face charges of heading the terror group, Jemaah Islamiah
(JI), as well as involvement in last year's bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, in
which 12 people were killed.
However, he will not be tried for the October 2002 Bali bombings, in which 202 people
were killed, after a constitutional court ruling that anti-terror laws introduced after the
attack cannot be applied retrospectively.
But lawyers for Bashir say they expect evidence will still be presented to tie him to
the Bali bombings under the normal criminal code.
They have attacked the charges relating to the Marriott Hotel bombing, saying it is
ridiculous to try to convict the cleric for an offence that was committed while he was
already in prison.
The new charges came after 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.
The radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has been formally charged under
anti-terror legislation.
He has been indicted over a deadly Jakarta bombing and his alleged role as leader of
the JI extremist organisation.
Our Indonesia correspondent, Tim Palmer, reports Bashir could go on trial within a
month.
Australia welcomes charges
Australia's foreign minister, Alexander Downer, says Australia appreciates Indonesia's
pursuing of charges against Bashir.
"The issue for us is that Abu Baker Bashir face justice for his alleged involvement in
terrorism," he said.
"Bashir is the spiritual [leader] of Jemaah Islamiah, which was the organisation
responsible for the Bali bombings, and we appreciate what the Indonesian government
has done in ensuring that he be detained," he said.
25/08/2004 23:00:28 | ABC Radio Australia News
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