Australian's Outrage: Abu Bakar Bashir cleared of 2002 Bali Bombing conspiracy charges

Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir

The Butcher of Bali escapes Justice again.

Indonesia's Supreme Court has overturned a guilty verdict against Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir for conspiracy in the deadly 2002 Bali bombings , a court spokesman said today.

Some foreign governments accuse the cleric of having led a regional extremist group and the move is likely to anger countries such as Australia, which lost 88 nationals in the bomb attacks on nightclubs on the Indonesian resort island.

Bashir was released in June after completing a 30-month jail sentence for being part of a conspiracy behind the bombings.

The Supreme Court, in response to an appeal by Bashir challenging the verdict, ruled that the cleric was not guilty of that crime.

"It has been been granted. He was not proven guilty. Of the 30 witnesses presented during his trial, none confirmed that Bashir was involved in the Bali bombings," Supreme Court spokesman Joko Upoyo said.

The Antara state news agency quoted the chief judge on the panel examining the case, German Hoediarto, as saying the court had ordered that Bashir's name be rehabilitated.

Bashir reacted calmly to the verdict, his lawyer Mahendradatta told Antara.
"His tone was calm when he reacted to the decision," he said.

Western and regional intelligence officials say Bashir was the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah, a Southeast Asian extremist group blamed for the Bali bombings and a string of other deadly attacks in Indonesia in recent years.

The Bali blasts killed at least 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
Western nations, especially Australia, had previously protested against what they regarded as too lenient treatment of the frail-looking but sharp-tongued cleric.

White-bearded and bespectacled, Bashir has consistently denied any connection to that or other attacks blamed on Jemaah Islamiah.

BB: The man visits the Bali Bombers, he has been recorded actively encouraging attacks against moderates and westerners, he espouses hate. This is the face of Indonesian Justice. Where 1 person get 6 months jail for kilos of Cocaine, and a Australian National gets 20 years for Marijuana for refusing to pay bribes.

The Indonesian Justice system is a disgrace, their internal corruption is a disgrace, this mans release, let alone conviction being quashed is beyond belief.

Western Nations need to recognise their pandering to Indonesian 'moderates' as an attempt to control radicals actually only empowers both Muslim fundamentalists and extremists.

There is a raft of Xmas terrorists warnings for Indonesia and Bali, surely 3 days before christmas is too little too late?

References:
Daily Telegraph: Bashir cleared of Bali bomb conspiracy

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