ABC AUSTRALIA, 28/07/2004 19:04:56
Abu Bakar Bashir's lawyers demand his release
Lawyers for Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, who is accused of leading the group
responsible for the Bali bombings, say they will formally demand his release.
Lawyer Muhammad Assegaf says he will ask the head of the national police to
release Bashir and revoke his status as suspect.
The move follows last Friday's ruling by the Constitutional Court, that the retroactive
use of the 2003 anti terror legislation to cover the Bali bombings is unconstitutional.
Bashir is currently being held under the anti terror law.
Police say they have evidence that Bashir is the leader of the Al Qaeda linked
Jemaah Islamiyah network, which staged the October 2002 Bali bombings and
numerous other attacks.
Bashir has denied charges of involvement in terrorism and he says they are a US
inspired smear campaign against Islam.
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said the legal decision had not
lessened Indonesia's commitment to fight terrorism.
He said the ruling was Indonesia's internal matter, but he understood the concern of
Australia.
Eighty-eight of the 202 people killed in Bali were Australians.
28/07/2004 19:04:56 | ABC Radio Australia News
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