[nasional_list] [ppiindia] U.S., Australia Criticize Bali Sentence

From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@freelists.org>
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 08:15:43 +0100

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=731&e=10&u=/ap/20050304/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_militant_cleric

U.S., Australia Criticize Bali Sentence

2 hours, 48 minutes ago World - AP Asia

By MICHAEL CASEY, Associated Press Writer
JAKARTA, Indonesia - The United States denounced a 2 1/2-year sentence for a
militant Islamic cleric Thursday, calling the Indonesian court's ruling too
lenient for the man alleged to head a regional terror group behind a string
of deadly bombings.

The verdict by a five-judge panel could see Abu Bakar Bashir freed as early
as next year and was another setback for the Indonesian government's
campaign to prove the cleric is responsible for attacks in the world's most
populous Muslim nation.
Officials contend Bashir is the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, an
al-Qaida-linked group blamed for bombings in Bali's nightclub district that
killed 202 people in 2002, a suicide bombing at the J.W. Marriott hotel in
Jakarta that killed a dozen in 2003 and other attacks.
The judges convicted Bashir of conspiracy in the Bali attack, but they
acquitted him on the more serious charges of planning the Marriott bombing
and of inciting followers to stage terrorist attacks.
The 30-month sentence was decried by the governments of the United States
and Australia, which were hoping for a lengthy prison term to deter
terrorism in Indonesia.
"We respect the independence and judgment of the Indonesian courts, but
given the gravity of the charges on which he was convicted, we are
disappointed at the length of the sentence," said U.S. Embassy spokesman Max
Kwak. Seven Americans died in the Bali attack.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also wanted a longer sentence.
"Eighty-eight of our people were killed in the Bali bombing and it's
something we feel very passionately about. And those who were involved,
however they were involved, should face justice," he said.
But Australia's Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said the conviction could
spark a violent backlash by his supporters "because he is such a significant
figure."
"We will need to listen to the intelligence agencies and no doubt they will
be doing updated threat assessments today in light of the conviction,"
Keelty said.
Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Sudi Sulalahi declined to comment on the
verdict.
Bashir, a 66-year-old cleric known for strong anti-Western and anti-Semitic
views and a desire to install an Islamic state in Indonesia, could be
released by October 2006, since he has been jailed in the case since last
April.
He had faced a maximum penalty of death on the Marriott charge, but most
legal analysts had predicted his punishment would be far less - partly due
to the weak case by prosecutors. During the five-month trial, only one
witness testified Bashir had anything to do with terrorism.
The conspiracy conviction itself appears open to challenge. It relates to
allegations that Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, who was convicted with 35 other
militants in the Bali bombings, visited Bashir three months before the
attacks to ask for his blessing.
Amrozi refused to testify during the trial and prosecutors based that part
of their case on what he told police about the meeting. Bashir denied the
exchange ever occurred.
Defense attorneys said they would appeal the conspiracy conviction.
"This verdict was a gift to the police and those who want Bashir locked in
jail no matter what," said one of Bashir's lawyers, Wirawan Adnan. "This was
about politics. This verdict wasn't based on valid evidence and hopefully a
higher court will see things differently."
Before the trial, authorities said they had documents to prove Bashir leads
Jemaah Islamiyah and a slate of witnesses that would ensure a conviction.
But witness after witness either denied any knowledge of Bashir's terror
links or portrayed him as a simple Islamic teacher.

Bashir, who was acquitted of heading Jemaah Islamiyah in a previous trial,
remained defiant Thursday. He called President Bush (news - web sites)
"evil" and accused the United States of pressuring Indonesia to put him on
trail.
After the verdict, he told hundreds of cheering supporters he was "being
oppressed by people from abroad and at home."
"They consider Islamic law to be a shackle and are slaves to immoral
behavior," he said while leading supporters in a prayer. "Allah, open their
hearts or destroy them."
Intelligence officials say Jemaah Islamiyah has cells across Southeast Asia,
where it is believed to be seeking a pan-Islamic state. Two of its purported
top leaders - Malaysians Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Mohamed Top - were
allegedly central players in the Bali and Marriott attacks and remain
fugitives.

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[nasional_list] [ppiindia] U.S., Australia Criticize Bali Sentence

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