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June 13, 2006

Indonesia: Islamist "Spiritual Leader" Released From Jail

We reported on June 6 that the extremist Islamic cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, who was imprisoned for his part in giving consent to the bombers who killed 202 people in Bali on October 12, 2002, was due to be released. A few hours ago, Bashir (pictured) was released from Cipinang prison in East Jakarta.

The news is carried by the BBC and also by Associated Press via the Jerusalem Post, Yahoo News, Fox News and USA Today.

We stated that Bashir had intended to return to his role as a teacher in the pesantren or Islamic boarding school called Al Mukmin or Ngruki upon his release from prison.

Ngruki school was founded by Bashir with a colleague called Abdullah Sungkar in the 1970s. Sugkar became a Mujahideen in Afghanistan and his since died. According to the International Crisis Group, at least thirty individuals who are indicted or in jail for Islamist terror charges are graduates from this academy, which is based in Solo on Java island, about 250 miles east of Jakarta.

68-year old Bashir was convicted on March 3 2004 for conspiracy related to the plot to bomb Bali, which mainly caused the deaths of tourists, including 88 Australian civilians. At that time, he was the "spiritual leader" of Jemaah Islamiyah, a terrorist group which we have described in a Special Report. Sentenced originally to two and a half years, his term of imprisonment was reduced by more than four months in an Independence Day gesture in August 2005.

Associated Press states that Dr Sidney Jones, the (female) head of the International Crisis Group has commented on the cleric, saying: "I don't think it makes much difference whether he's released or stays in prison.I think he will reinforce anti-Western feelings ... but I don't think he'll necessary push people over the line from radical rhetoric to violence." She notes thatt he has been using a cellular phone to communicate with other members of Jemaah Islamiyah from inside his jail.

According to AP, "Bashir has little active support in Indonesia, where most Muslims follow a moderate form of the faith."

Unfortunately though many Muslims follow a moderate form of Islam in Indonesia, we have shown in our recent special report on Islamism in Indonesia, extreme sharia-based bylaws are being introduced throughout the nation, with 26 regencies already enforcing or about to enforce Islamist bylaws.

We also reported on March 13 that a survey conducted in all of Indonesia's 33 provinces discovered that 10% of Indonesians support suicide bombings.

Though Associated Press said that Bashir has little support in the nation, film on BBC showed his followers swamping his car in large numbers (pictured above right). The substantial crowd was visible clamouring to congratulate Bashir as he was driven away, even though he had been released from the jail 45 minutes earlier than expected.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at June 13, 2006 10:58 PM

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