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Thousands of Muslims from hard-line Islamist groups are
planning to celebrate the release of Muslim cleric and Bali bombing
convict Abu Bakar Ba'asyir from a Jakarta jail Wednesday (today).
Ba'asyir supporters from the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI), which
he leads, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia and
the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) are expected to gather outside
Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta on Tuesday night before escorting
the cleric to his hometown in Surakarta, Central Java, late the next
day.
A huge night-time convoy, which could take about 12 hours to get to
Surakarta, will be escorted by police motorcades throughout the journey.
"At least 500 FBR men will greet Ba'asyir's release tomorrow," forum
leader Fadloli El Muhir said after visiting Ba'asyir at Cipinang on
Tuesday.
Ba'asyir was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment in March 2005 for his
involvement in the conspiracy to attack Bali in 2002. The bombings
claimed 202 lives.
Ba'asyir was convicted by evidence given by a Bali bomber, Amrozi.
In his confession to police, Amrozi said Ba'asyir was fully aware of
the attack plan. Passages in the statement he made to police
interrogators describe him confessing to Ba'asyir about the planned
attack. Amrozi said Ba'asyir had told him: "It's up to you guys. It is
you who know the conditions in the field."
Amrozi later denied his testimony, saying it had been forced out of him
by police interrogators.
The head of MMI's Jakarta chapter, Jamal Aldin, said Tuesday hundreds
of MMI members would camp outside Cipinang prison to await Ba'asyir's
release.
Information department head Fauzan Al-Anshori said hundreds of the
group's members from Surakarta were coming to Jakarta by bus to greet
their leader.
"The buses are on their way. They should arrive by noon," he said
Tuesday.
Fauzan claimed leaders from other religious groups would also welcome
Ba'asyir's release.
He said Rev. Nathan Setiabudi, the former head of the Indonesian
Communion of Churches (PGI), Theo Bella representing the Catholic
community, and Buddhist leader Hartono would be among the well-wishers.
The Jakarta Post could not contact the leaders for confirmation of the
claim Tuesday night.
Fauzan said the National Police had agreed to accompany the MMI and
Ba'asyir on their journey from Cipinang to the Al-Mukmin Islamic
boarding school he founded in Ngruki, Central Java.
"We are planning to go by the north coast road (Pantura) by bus. We
will go at night." In light traffic, a journey from Cipinang to Ngruki
would take about eight hours, he said.
Fauzan said because of Ba'asyir's ailing health, he would be
accompanied by a doctor, Jose Rizal Jurnalis of the Medical Rescue
Emergency Committee (MER-C), on his journey to Ngruki.
Upon arriving in Surakarta, some 30 kilometers from Ngruki, Ba'asyir is
scheduled to undergo a general medical checkup at the Muhammadiyah
hospital there.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said officers
were ready to escort Ba'asyir on his journey home.
Escort teams would consist of five motorcycle patrols from different
jurisdictions working on shifts, he said.
Asked whether police would keep Ba'asyir under special surveillance,
Anton said Ba'asyir would be made to report to the police periodically
like any other ex-convict.
"(There will be) no special monitoring for him but we did inform
Interpol about his release," he said.
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