Ba'asyir remains mum

JAKARTA: Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir has continued to refuse to clarify his alleged involvement in several bombing cases in the country, obstructing police investigations.

Ba'asyir's legal representative, Ahmad Midan, said on Monday that his client would only speak before the court.

He said that during the questioning session Monday, the police asked about the cleric's role in the Atrium bombing attack, the planned assassination of then-vice president Megawati Soekarnoputri, and his citizenship status.

In regards the issue of Ba'asyir citizenship status, Ahmad said that the police had attempted to discredit his client.

Police have said that Ba'asyir had forfeited his Indonesian citizenship as he left the country for over five years without reporting to relevant authority as is required by law. -- Antara