Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The Indonesian Supreme Court has decided: 15 years in
prison for Abu Bakar Baasyr, convicted of having financed the training of a
clandestine paramilitary group of terrorists in the province of Aceh.
And this despite the protests of the same radical religious leader, and his
followers, accusing Washington
of having exercised strong interference in his case. The Supreme Court has
effectively annulled the decision of Jakarta District Court that had
significantly reduced the first sentence, from 15 to nine years. (AsiaNews
24/02/2012 Abu Bakar Baasyir's Islamic
Association declared "terrorist group").
Baasyr is the founder and leader of the Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT), a few
days before the judgment the U.S. State Department declared him the leader of a
terrorist group and therefore banned from any financial transactions with U.S. entities. Before
creating JAT, Baasyr founded his first radical Muslim group called Majelis
Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI) or Indonesian Mujahedeen Council. He later decided to
abandon the MMI because of strong differences of opinion with other States on
the legal issues and the formation of the Islamic State of Indonesia.
When the Supreme Court confirmed the first sentence of 15 years on February 28,
the faithful of Baasyr announced that another legal appeal will be submitted
soon to change the verdict. The Supreme Court's decision was taken unanimously
by a panel of judges among them three senior judges, including figures such as
Djoko Sarwoko, Mansyur Kertayasa and Anda Saman Nganro.