Posted on 10/04/2005 1:52:23 PM PDT by Dundee
Bashir's term to be cut further
JAILED extremist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir is set to have his sentence further reduced, despite his call for jihadists to embrace nuclear weapons in the lead-up to the weekend's Bali bombings.
As Indonesian police continued their investigations into the suicide attacks that killed at least 22 people, including four Australians, prison officials confirmed that the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah was likely to receive a further cut to his 30-month sentence for conspiracy in connection with the October 2002 Bali bombings.
Australia has lobbied hard to keep Bashir in prison, but it now seems certain Bashir's sentence will be reduced by a further 30 days, following a 4 1/2-month reduction granted in August to commemorate Indonesia's Independence Day.
The militant preacher has been listed for another remission to commemorate the Islamic holiday of Idul Fitri on November 4, which marks the end of Ramadan.
Bashir was convicted in March of condoning the original Bali attack by failing to stop the bombers when they requested his sanction to commit the crime, which resulted in the deaths of 202 people, including 88 Australians.
With time already served, Bashir could walk free from Jakarta's Cipinang prison in April, probably to return to his Ngruki Islamic boarding school, alma mater to dozens of accused and convicted militants including one of the original Bali bombers.
Bashir's earlier sentence reduction provoked a furore in Australia and a flurry of high-level protests by the Howard Government.
John Howard lobbied Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to review the automatic remission laws when he met him in New York last month.
A spokeswoman for the Australian embassy in Jakarta said they were maintaining efforts to keep Bashir in prison.
"The Australian Government has registered its concern at the highest levels possible," she said.
The Cipinang jail official in charge of compiling the list of prisoners eligible for reductions - to be submitted to justice officials next week - said Bashir's name was on the list, along with the names of 27 other inmates convicted on terrorism charges.
Jail official Masudi said the preacher would certainly be granted the recommended reduction, adding he had never heard of the Justice Ministry refusing a remission recommendation.
"Everyone who has behaved well and who hasn't disobeyed the regulations of the prison will get a remission, it doesn't matter what their crime is," he said.
According to Bashir's assistant, the jailed cleric was concerned last week's bombings would affect his early release.
"There is a suspicion of that," his assistant and fellow inmate Hasyim Abdullah told The Australian yesterday.
"It's because of the media, because Australia links the bombings to Jemaah Islamiah and links them to (bomb-makers) Noordin (Top) and Azahari (Husin)."
Bashir believed bombings in a place of peace were wrong and condemned the recent Bali bombings, said Abdullah.
"If there's a war, such as in Iraq, yes there has to be a fight," he said. "But there's no war in Indonesia."
In an interview last month with suicide bombing expert Scott Atran, published yesterday by The Australian, Bashir canvassed the use of nuclear weapons.
Asked about the potential use of nuclear weapons by terrorists, Mr Howard yesterday said there was no limit to what terrorists might do.
"My view is that there is no limit to the evil intent of terrorists," the Prime Minister said.
Abdullah also flatly denied Bashir had ever endorsed the use of nuclear weapons for jihad.
"That's not true. It's strange if that has been said," Abdullah said.
"He has never said anything about nuclear issues. He doesn't understand that kind of thing."
Australia has lobbied hard to keep Bashir in prison, but it now seems certain Bashir's sentence will be reduced by a further 30 days, following a 4 1/2-month reduction granted in August to commemorate Indonesia's Independence Day.
Bashir was convicted in March of condoning the original Bali attack by failing to stop the bombers when they requested his sanction to commit the crime, which resulted in the deaths of 202 people, including 88 Australians.
What does that work out to, about 3 days in prison for each death? Oh well, they were only infidels...
This is when a decent Her Majesty's Secret Service, CIA or whatever comes in handy. He would simply have a nasty, nasty accident as he is leaving the prison, something along the lines of shot with a poison dart, or exploding fire plug, or deadly snake drops from decorative landscaping, and that would be it. Boom. One less maniac trying to kill the rest of us. It's called self-defense.
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