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Australia and the United States expressed dismay over
Wednesday's release of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir after he served 26 months in
prison for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, speaking before a visiting
delegation of Indonesian legislators, said Australians were
"distressed" by the release of Ba'asyir even though it was in
accordance with the Indonesian justice system.
"Can I say something to Indonesian politicians ... who may be listening
or reading in Indonesia. I want them to understand from me on behalf of
the government how extremely disappointed, even distressed, millions of
Australians will be at the release of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir," he was
quoted as saying by AFP in parliament during a visit by members of the
House of Representatives.
The alleged spiritual leader of the militant Islamic group Jamaah
Islamiyah was freed Wednesday after serving nearly 26 months for
conspiracy over the bombings which killed 202 people, 88 of them
Australian holidaymakers.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expressed concern that
Ba'asyir could inspire further violence from his followers.
"I have some concerns about his advocacy. There's no question of that.
This is somebody who believes in the jihadist principles," he was
quoted as saying by Reuters.
He said that because the UN Security Council had listed Ba'asyir as a
terrorist the Indonesian government had the responsibility to impose
certain restrictions on him, including freezing his financial assets,
banning him from international travel and from obtaining weapons of any
kind.
Earlier, AP reported that the U.S. State Department also expressed deep
disappointment about what it called the light sentence handed down to
the cleric.
Although stressing that it was up to the Indonesians and their courts
to interpret their own laws, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack
noted that the court which convicted Ba'asyir concluded that he was a
participant in "a sinister conspiracy to cause a fire or explosion
resulting in deaths".
While denying any international pressure or request for the recapture
or extradition of Ba'asyir, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said his
release was simply a matter of law enforcement in Indonesia, based on
Indonesian criminal law and criminal law procedures.
"There is no such request from other countries. Ba'asyir is our own
citizen... and he has served his sentence and as according to our law
he is free ... then no other countries should politicize this. We have
not received complaints or political objections," he told reporters
after speaking at a seminar in Jakarta on Wednesday.
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