Bali bombers acted in good faith, says Abu Bakar Bashir

[Kiwi]

Bali bombers acted in good faith, says Abu Bakar Bashir
Article from: Reuters


By Ahmad Pathoni in Solo, Indonesia

January 15, 2008 04:06pm


THREE militants who could be executed for the 2002 Bali bombings acted in good faith to defend Islam, but were wrong to indiscriminately target civilians, says controversial Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir.

The three – Imam Samudra, Mukhlas and Amrozi, who was dubbed "the smiling bomber" because of his constant grin at his trial – have run out of legal avenues for appeal but could still seek presidential clemency, an option they have already ruled out.

They were sentenced to death for their role in two nightclub blasts on Bali's Kuta strip on October 12, 2002, in which 88 Australians were among the 202 people killed.

"Their intention is good; to defend fellow Muslims who have been terrorised by America and its allies. They didn't seek popularity, they didn't seek worldly possessions, they didn't seek any position.

"All they looked for was Allah's favour," Abu Bakar Bashir told Reuters in an interview at his house in the central Java city of Solo.

Bashir, accused by some foreign governments of once heading the regional militant network Jemaah Islamiah (JI), said the militants had not discussed with him any bombing plans and he could have dissuaded them had they done so.

"I'm fighting America too, but by means of preaching. I don't agree with using bombs in a peaceful zone," said Bashir, dressed in white Muslim garb.

The attacks, and a number of other deadly bombings in recent years, were blamed on JI, of which Bashir was alleged to have been a co-founder. Bashir, 69, was jailed for 30 months for conspiracy over the Bali bombings but was later cleared.

He said the three Bali convicts had realised their mistakes and had fasted every day for two straight months to redeem their sins. But he also said during his meeting with the men in their island prison in December that it was evident that they had found peace and joy.

He did not rule out more attacks in Indonesia, but said more militants had realised that violence would only hurt their cause.

"There are probably people who still believe in such a method but they will be more careful," he said, referring to militants being more careful in choosing their targets to avoid Indonesians being killed.

Bashir said al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden would have opposed bombings in Indonesia because it was not a conflict zone.

"I'm sure if Osama bin Laden had been consulted he would not have agreed with (the idea of) carrying out bombings in Indonesia," he said.

The cleric has in the past praised bin Laden as a "true Muslim fighter".

Since his release from prison in June 2006, Bashir has travelled around the country to preach about the importance of sharia, or Islamic law. Although there has not been an official order to restrict him, he said police sometimes asked people to cancel their invitation to him to speak at rallies.

Bashir's Al-Mukmin Islamic boarding school, located in the same complex as his house, has been accused of being a breeding ground for Islamic militants. But Bashir said the accusation came from enemies who did not wish to see Muslims educated in a truly Islamic way. As he spoke, some of his students played volleyball and soccer outside a three-storey school building.

About 85 per cent of Indonesia's 220 million population follow Islam.

Although most Indonesian Muslims are moderate, a vocal militant minority emerged after the fall of autocratic President Suharto in 1998.


We need to burn and send them, back to hell where they came from