INDONESIA: Court in Jakarta delays trial of radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir

Record ID: 708335

  • Title: INDONESIA: Court in Jakarta delays trial of radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir
  • Date: 11th February 2011
  • Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (FEBRUARY 10, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SOUTH JAKARTA COURT COURT SIGN POLICE STANDING OUTSIDE OF COURT POLICE GUARDS SUPPORTERS OF ABU BAKAR BASHIR TRYING TO ENTER COURT COMPOUND SUPPORTERS SHAKING THE FENCE SUPPORTERS WEARING FACE MASKS SUPPORTERS WALKING INTO COMPOUND VARIOUS OF FEMALE SUPPORTERS DURING SECURITY CHECKS EXTERIOR OF HOLDING ROOM VARIOUS OF ABU BAKAR BASHIR INSIDE HOLDING ROOM BEFORE TRIAL BEGINS VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS VISITING BASHIR VARIOUS OF POLICE GUARDING THE HOLDING ROOM BASHIR WALKING INTO COURT ROOM BASHIR TAKING SEAT BASHIR SITTING BASHIR'S FACE BASHIR'S HANDS BASHIR SITTING IN FRONT OF JUDGE (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) PRESIDING JUDGE HERI SWANTORO SAYING: "We have decided to postpone the trial to Monday, February 14 at 9 a.m., on Monday we will hear the indictment from prosecutors." BASHIR INSIDE THE COURT BASHIR'S LAWYER MAHENDRADATTA SURROUNDED BY MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) BASHIR'S LAWYER MAHENDRADATTA SAYING: "It must be conduct under what we call the criminal procedure, this is according to criminal procedure chapter 146 point 1, said that the defendant must be called at least three days before the trial." MAHENDRADATTA TALKING TO JOURNALISTS SUPPORTERS WATCHING TV SCREEN OUTSIDE COURT ROOM SUPPORTERS SHOUTING AFTER JUDGE SAID THE TRIAL HAS BEEN POSTPONED MORE OF SUPPORTERS
  • Embargoed: 26th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Indonesia, Indonesia
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVABL1UF2PP0T49P7SH9R3N11XI5
  • Story Text: The trial of radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, a leader of the outlawed Southeast Asian militant network Jemaah Islamiah, has been postponed, a court in Jakarta decided on Thursday (February 10).
    "We have decided to postpone the trial to Monday, February 14 at 9 a.m. (0200 GMT), on Monday we will hear the indictment from prosecutors," said presiding judge, Heri Swantoro.
    The decision came after Bashir protested against a court summons, which he said arrived late.
    Bashir's lawyer, Mahendradatta explained to journalists after the court session that Bashir only received the summons two days before the trial was scheduled to start.
    Bashir faces new charges that carry the death penalty in a trial which refocuses attention on Indonesia's fight against Islamic terror groups.
    The trial will be the third for the frail 72 year-old Bashir, who is officially the caretaker of an Islamic boarding school on Java island but has long been considered the spiritual leader of the Jemaah Islamiah movement, which seeks to establish a Muslim caliphate across Southeast Asia.
    He was found not guilty of terror offences in two previous trials that attempted to link him to the 2002 Bali bombings, but only spent time in prison for lesser charges such as immigration offences.
    A team of 32 prosecutors have prepared a 93-page indictment against Bashir including charges of helping establish a terror training camp and funding terror organisations in Aceh.
    Dozens of Bashir's supporters filled the public gallery of a South Jakarta courtroom, waiting for Bashir to be brought to the dock.
    Jakarta Police deployed about 3,000 personnel to guard the court, armoured trucks with water cannons were stationed in the vicinity.
    The Aceh-based group had planned to attack the president, government officials, and state guests attending an independence day event in August, with the aim of declaring Indonesia an Islamic state ruled by Sharia law, police have said.
    Since bomb attacks in the capital in July last year, blamed on a Jemaah Islamiah splinter group, police have foiled further attacks, increased stability and a strong economy is expected to draw greater portfolio and direct investment.
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