Ba'asyri's lawyer eyes presidency<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: A lawyer representing a high-profile terror suspect
\nannounced on Wednesday that he was considering a run for the
\npresidency in 2004.<\/p>\n
\"God willing, I will accept this mandate,\" Mahendradatta, who
\nis coordinator the defense of terror suspect Abu Bakar Ba'asyir,
\ntold a cheering crowd outside a Jakarta court.<\/p>\n
The lawyer was responding to scores of Ba'ayir supporters who
\nasked him to run for president in order to protect the interests
\nof Muslims.<\/p>\n
The supporters, from the Indonesian Mujahideen Council and the
\nFront for the Defenders of Islam in the city of Surakarta,
\ndisplayed banners outside the courthouse that read: \"Welcome, Mr.
\nMahendradatta, president in 2004.\"<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir, the alleged leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist
\ngroup, began his defense on Wednesday in his treason trial. The
\ncase was adjourned until May 7.<\/p>\n
Muslim cleric Ba'asyir is accused of waging a bloody terror
\ncampaign to try to topple the government and to set up an Islamic
\nstate. --AFP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/baasyris-lawyer-eyes-presidency-1447893297",
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