Indonesian court jails radical cleric for terrorism
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 16 June 2011 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Indonesian court jails radical cleric for terrorism, 16 June 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4e142b5628.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
June 16, 2011
Radical Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir
An Indonesian court has jailed radical Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir for 15 years for helping to organize and fund a terrorist training camp.
The training camp in Aceh drew together militants from different extremist groups planning attacks on foreigners and moderate Muslim leaders.
He was arrested in August, months after the camp was raided by police.
The 72-year-old Bashir has for years been urging his followers to wage jihad, or holy war, on the West and Indonesia's form of secular, democratic government.
He is seen as the spiritual head of the regional extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah, which was blamed for the 2002 bombings on the island of Bali that killed more than 200 people, including many foreigners.
Hundreds of police backed by armored vehicles and snipers were deployed around the high security court in Jakarta where his sentence was announced on June 16.
compiled from agency reports
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
