The trial of radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir on charges of planning and/or inciting terrorist bombings has begun in Jakarta. The 66-year-old Muslim cleric arrived at the Jakarta court house on Thursday surrounded by gun-toting police officers. He was greeted by scores of supporters chanting "Allahu Akbar," or "God is greatest." Reading from a lengthy indictment, chief prosecutor Salman Maryadi said Ba'asyir planned and/or incited others to commit terror crimes from 1999 until August 2003. "The defendant ... planned and or moved other people to conduct terrorism crimes, on purpose and consciously using violence or the threat of violence to create the atmosphere of terror, resulting in mass casualties," Maryadi said, according to a Reuters news service report. The chief prosecutor said Ba'asyir had conveyed to his followers the message or order from Osama bin Laden that the killing of Americans was allowed by Islam, chief prosecutor Salman Maryadi told the court. Ba'asyir denies any involvement in the bombings and maintains no such terror group exists.
If found guilty, Ba'asyir could face the death penalty and execution by firing squad. An earlier attempt to prosecute Ba'asyir over the October 2002 Bali bombings failed, although the religious leader did serve 18 months in jail for immigration violations. Prosecutors are more confident of making the charge stick this time, believing they have a stronger case and more reliable witnesses to prove Ba'asyir's involvement in the crimes. Speaking to reporters as he arrived at court, Ba'asyir repeated his claim that U.S. President George W. Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard have pressured the Indonesian government to bring false charges against him. "Everyone knows, schoolchildren know, it's Bush and his slave, John Howard," Ba'asyir said.
| "I know they know it, 'cuz we taught 'em!" |
The charges relate to a suicide bomb attack at the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta in August last year which killed 12 people and the Bali explosions which left more than 200 dead, including 88 Australians. Nearly 80 witnesses for the prosecution are expected to be called, including convicted bombers involved in the Mariott and Bali attacks. "The police and prosecution really want to see these charges stick," Southeast Asia director of the International Crisis Group Sidney Jones told CNN Thursday. | Over 200 dead, Sid? Yep, they want the charges to stick. |
"I think it's going to be a stronger case this time around." But she cautioned that the evidence against Ba'asyir seemed to be indirect and the strength of the case would probably depend on the quality of the witnesses testifying against him. "This is going to be a riveting drama," she said.| To heck with Act II, "The Trial." I wanna cut right to Act III, "The Hanging." |
The trial is being held in a converted government auditorium in the Indonesian capital. As many as 700 security forces have tightened security around the makeshift court, partly chosen to accommodate the expected large crowds at the trial. |