IN a potentially significant blow to Indonesia's counter-terrorism efforts, Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has had his sentence shorn by six years on appeal.
The 73-year-old's trial, for funding and planning a militant training camp in Aceh, ended in June with him being sentenced to 15 years' jail, which with normal remissions would be likely to have put Bashir away for the rest of his life.
It was the most significant prosecution by the Indonesian state against an Islamic terrorist since the executions three years ago of 2002 Bali bombers Imam Samudra, Amrozi Nurhasyim and Huda bin Abdul Haq (Mukhlas).
However, the Jakarta High Court has reduced Bashir's sentence on appeal to nine years, which could see the veteran jihadist, also tried but finally acquitted of conspiring in the 2002 bombings, freed by the end of 2017.
It is open to state prosecutors, who had sought a life sentence for Bashir on the Aceh charges, to appeal to the Supreme Court.
However, there was no word from authorities by last night; the sentence reduction, as is commonly the case in Indonesia, was decided without any announcement or even notification to Bashir's lawyers.
It was confirmed by a court spokesman to Agence France-Presse yesterday: "The chief judge verbally confirmed that Bashir's sentence has been reduced to nine years," official Ahmad Sobari said.
The decision was apparently taken last Thursday.
"We lawyers haven't received any court decision, so we cannot comment yet," a Bashir lawyer, Ahmad Richdan, told The Australian last night.
"They should tell the lawyers first . . . it's a pity that we learn from the media - I tried to confirm the news today but nobody was picking up the phone "
The lawyer confirmed that Bashir's team would continue its efforts to have the South Jakarta District Court's convictions overturned completely and the Solo cleric freed.
Bashir, who has consistently denied being a co-founder of Jemaah Islamiah, the terrorist network blamed for the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings, also claimed innocence of the seven Aceh charges.
Arrested in August last year during a wave of terrorism scares that allegedly involved a plot against the life of Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Bashir was accused of authorising, funding and making senior appointments to the training camp, which operated only briefly under the name of "al-Qa'ida in the Verandah of Islam (Aceh)".
The camp was broken up by police in February last year, before the militants were able to launch any action.
A dozen suspects died in subsequent clashes; three policemen were killed in retaliation.
When arrested, the cleric led the "above-ground" Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid that aims to impose sharia.
On June 16, District Court chief judge Herri Swantoro found Bashir "planned and/or encouraged other people intentionally to use violence or threats of violence to create terror and fear among the people and cause victims".
Taking into account his age but noting he had stood against the campaign to overcome terrorism, the four judges sentenced Bashir to 15 years.
TIADA KATA SEINDAH `MERDEKA`
------------------------------------------------------------------
Ubahlah nasib bangsa kita, jangan jadikan anak cucu kita sebagai mangsa dari keterlambatan kita bertindak pada hari ini.
Mailing bebas => Meukra-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
-untuk membuat posting kirimkan ke: PPDi@yahoogroup.com
**************************************************************
-Beritahu rakan anda untuk menyertai egroups ini dengan hanya menghantar email kosong ke: PPDi-subscribe@egroups.com
: Meukra-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
**************************************************************
FOR THE LATEST NEWS link to us: http://PPDi.cjb.net/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PPDi/messages
ALL ADVERTISERS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH condemning indon WILL BE BANNED WITHOUT WARNING!!!
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar