Court frees former Laskar Jihad leader

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The East Jakarta District Court has found Ja'far Umar Thalib, leader of the now defunct Islamic militia group Laskar Jihad, not guilty of provoking violence, spreading hatred against the government and defaming the president in the conflict-torn province of Maluku.

"All charges are unproven...the court acquits the defendant from these charges and orders that the defendant's reputation be restored," presiding judge Mansyur Nasution told the hearing.

The verdict was cheered by dozens of Ja'far's supporters, who packed the courtroom.

Prosecutor Slamet Riyanto, who demanded a one-year jail term for Ja'far, said he would think over the two weeks allowed by law, whether or not to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Ja'far said the verdict was fair, as the charges leveled against him were artificial.

"Thank God, I hope this (the verdict) boosts efforts to uphold the freedom of speech, for the sake of the state and the people," he told reporters after the trial.

Charges against Ja'far were based on a tape recording of his speech before 2,500 people at the Al Fatah Mosque in the Maluku capital of Ambon on April 26, 2002.

Two days after the sermon, a group of unidentified men assaulted the predominantly Christian village of Soya and killed 13 people. Witnesses described the attackers as physically well- trained.

During his preaching, Ja'far allegedly said President Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration had cooperated with the South Maluku Republic separatist group, which had staged a rebellion against the government of Megawati's father Sukarno in the late 1950s.

Many viewed the prosecutors had built a weak case as the Criminal Code does not recognize a tape recording as evidence.

Laskar Jihad sent 2,000 troops to Maluku fight alongside local Muslims against Christians during three years of sectarian conflict between 1999 and 2002, which left 6,000 dead.

A peace deal was signed in February 2002, and the Laskar Jihad fighters were gradually withdrawn from the province as part of the peace deal. The Laskar Jihad was officially disbanded in Oct. 2002 after the Bali bombings, for the reason that many followers had strayed from the true path of the group.

On Wednesday, the North Jakarta District Court sentenced Christian leaders Alex Manuputty and Semmy Waileruny to three years in prison for plotting a rebellion in Maluku.