Court asked to allow Ba'asyir's a break

Court asked to allow Ba'asyir's a break

JAKARTA: Muslim hard-line group the Indonesia Mujahidin
Council (MMI) asked the court on Thursday that Muslim cleric Abu
Bakar Ba'asyir, who is standing trial for treason, be permitted
to take a break from detention to attend the annual congress of
the organization he leads.

Ba'asyir read out the organization's request during his trial
at the Central Jakarta District Court, saying it had asked him to
address the congress, which will take place between Aug. 10 and
Aug. 12 in Surakarta, Central Java.

The court has not yet made a decision about the request.

Ba'asyir is being charged with attempting to topple the
government through acts of terror. He faces 20 years imprisonment
if convicted.

During his trial on Thursday, the son of former leader of the
Jamaah Islamiyah group Said Ahmad Sungkar testified that he had
never heard Muslim cleric Ba'asyir incite violence.

Said, who knew the defendant in Malaysia in 1993 and 1994,
told the court that Ba'asyir had never been involved in any act
of violence.

Another witness, Hafif bin Abdul Madjid, also offered similar
testimony. Hafif is a teacher of Islam and a friend of Ba'asyir.

The trial did not hear the testimony of Muslim scholar
Nurcholish Madjid and Abdullah Hehamanua, a member of the Public
Officials Wealth Audit Commission, who were summoned as expert
witnesses. -- JP