Muslims demand release of convicted terrorist

Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

About 100 students from a number of Islamic boarding schools in Makassar staged a peaceful demonstration outside the provincial legislative council building on Friday to appeal for the release of convicted terrorist Agus Dwikarna.

A further 50 Muslims remain in the legislature's compound for the same purpose.

The demonstrators, wearing long robes and green turbans, evaded security guards to enter the main building and circulate leaflets explaining their demands.

Brandishing pro-Agus banners, the demonstrators demanded both the provincial administration and the central government lobby Philippine authorities to release Agus.

The banners read bebaskan Ustadz Agus Dwikarna (Set free cleric Agus Dwikarna, Gubernur harus melindungi warganya (the governor must protect his citizens) and Agus bukan terroris. Agus tidak bersalah (Agus is not a terrorist and he is not guilty).

Agus was sentenced in the Philippines to 17 years in jail for the illegal possession of explosives.

Despite a number of pro-Agus demonstrations, the government has insisted that it will not interfere in the Philippine's internal affairs.

Iswari Al Farisi, a lawyer representing Agus, acknowledged that the students's action was engineered intentionally to win sympathy from the local and central governments to press Agus' case.

"The students were asked to go on strike to put political pressure on the government to fight for Agus. We asked the students to stage the pro-Agus demonstration since we have no more energy to scream," he said.

Iswari, who was among those camping in the legislature's compound, said they would continue fighting till the government changed its stance.