Ba'asyir emotionally denies involvement in terrorist acts
Ba'asyir emotionally denies involvement in terrorist acts
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Alleged leader of regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah
(JI) Abu Bakar Ba'asyir emotionally denied on Thursday any
knowledge of the terror group he has been accused of leading,
saying the "terrorist state of America" has stage-managed his
treason trial.
Ba'asyir, in his fiery legal defense, warned judges that they
were bound for hell if they convicted him and told prosecutors to
repent for aiding "the infidel enemies of Islam."
"Judges who pass a wrong decision because of their ignorance
will go to hell," he told the Central Jakarta District Court
which was trying him for treason charges.
He told the prosecutors: "Do you know that because of your
actions the infidel enemies of Islam are cheering while Moslems
grieve?"
The 65-year old cleric, with tears welling in his eyes, said
"hypocrite" states such as United States, Australia and Singapore
had targeted him because he had wanted to uphold sharia (Islamic
law) in Indonesia.
"The hypocrites and the secular, if they are entrusted with
government power, their programs are to destroy Islam, arrest
people who are fighting for Islamic law, set up stage-managed
trials so that they can detain them as long as possible or kill
them," he said.
Prosecutors say Ba'asyir heads the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI)
regional terrorist group which is believed to have links with the
al-Qaeda network. They have asked for a 15-year prison term if he
is convicted of trying to topple the Indonesian government.
JI is blamed for a string of deadly bombings in recent years,
including the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali blasts that killed 202 people
and Aug. 5 JW Marriot Hotel bombing that claimed at least 12
lives.
He is also accused of approving the bombing of churches that
killed 19 people in several cities on Christmas Eve 2000 and of
ordering a plot, which was never carried out, to assassinate
Megawati Soekarnoputri before she became president.
Ba'syir is not accused in the Bali or Marriott hotel blasts,
which he blames on a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency plot to
discredit Muslims.
He denied a role in any bombings or in a plot against
Megawati, saying he knows nothing about "what is called as JI."
"The police have listened to the U.S., Singapore and Australia
rather than the voice of Muslims," he said, describing his trial
as a useless exercise.
"My hunch is there is intervention from outside -- the enemies
of Islam, the government of the terrorist state of America.
"The government of this country (Indonesia) is afraid of
(U.S.) intervention and has become the extension of the terrorist
government of America," he said.
"By Allah, I have never been appointed amir (leader) of what
is called JI," Ba'asyir added.
Later in the trial, Ba'asyir's lawyers asked judges to order
prosecutors to bring Hambali to court as a witness. The suspected
top al-Qaeda and JI operative is in U.S. custody at a secret
location after being arrested in Thailand last week.
"We request that Hambali be presented as a witness because
bombing operations that have been linked to Hambali, have also
been associated with the alleged blessing of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir,"
said lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution.
Buyung said Ba'asyir's case was related to the political
interests of the U.S. and Singapore. "It is a shame that our
country is dancing to the drumbeat of other countries."
Another lawyer Mohammad Assegaf denied that his client was a
terrorist. "Such a label should be given to the U.S. and Israel."
A third defense lawyer, Mahendradatta, said prosecutors
actually had failed to prove whether or not JI exists and failed
to prove any action by Ba'asyir leading to treason.
The trial was adjourned until Monday to hear the court's
verdict.