This morning, Indonesian authorities released a radical cleric linked to the Bali nightclub bombings from prison, a move which stirred grief and anger among victims of Indonesia’s worst terror attack.
Abu Bakar Bashir, 82, was the spiritual leader of Islamist terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which was responsible for the massive blasts that ripped through a pair of packed bars in October 2002, nearly two decades ago, killing more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists.
The firebrand preacher was released after completing an unrelated jail term for helping fund militant training in conservative Aceh province.
Bashir, however, has long been suspected of involvement in the horrific holiday island bombings, which came just a year after the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
A van, with Bashir inside, left Gunung Sindur prison near the capital Jakarta at around 5:30 am, accompanied by members of Indonesia’s elite counter-terror squad. He was expected to return to his hometown, Solo city.
Sentenced to 15 years in 2011, his term was later cut due to sentencing reductions handed to most prisoners in Indonesia. Bashir had been previously jailed over the Bali nightclub bombings, but that conviction was quashed on appeal.
He has repeatedly denied involvement and his exact role remains unclear.
“But he had to have approved it either directly or indirectly,” said Jakarta-based security analyst Sidney Jones. “But his release will be warmly welcomed by... former JI followers as he is still seen as a senior figure in the radical movement in Indonesia,” she added.
The cleric refused to renounce his extremist views in exchange for leniency when the government considered releasing him early two years ago.
The plan was shelved after a backlash at home and in Australia, which lost 88 of its citizens in the Bali attacks.
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