Abu Bakar Bashir, who has praised the Bali nightclub bombings as a jihad, will serve 2 1/2 years for his role in the murder of over 200 people. This is yet another indication of the high degree of sympathy for his cause in that country. From AP, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- The alleged leader of a militant Islamic group was sentenced Thursday to 2 1/2 years in prison for conspiracy in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people but was cleared of more serious charges. The United States and Australia criticized the sentence.A five-judge panel cleared Abu Bakar Bashir of allegations that as head of the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah group he planned the 2003 suicide bombing of the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta that killed 12 people and that he incited his followers to launch terrorist attacks.
The 66-year-old preacher could be released from prison by October 2006 with time already served in prison taken into account. He has been in jail since April.
Bashir had faced a maximum penalty of death over the Marriott charge, but most analysts had predicted his punishment would be far less - partly due to a weak case by prosecutors. During the five-month trial, only one witness directly testified that Bashir headed Jemaah Islamiyah, the group blamed in both attacks.
Did you see the pictures? The mob that was hanging around the courtroom, prosecuters, lawyers and judges alike with coffee filters on their heads? The courtroom full to the hilt with supporters of Bashir! Who would be a witness in such a circus without having to fear getting his throat cut right there and then?
Indonesia is a dark hole! They are all in on it, they are all muslim brothers and they will make sure that Mr. grinning Bucktooth is not punished for killing (or at least instigating) the killing of over 300 people, one of them the 24 year old son of my best friend.
No aid should be given to Indonesia, all ties should be cut immediately, no more financial aid, military training, tsunami aid, nothing, zilch! This pathetic show was an insult to civilization. It made it clear once and for all that we can not expect justice but instead mockery and insults to the injury already suffered.
A mere 2.5 yrs for this thug?!
Disgraceful!
Why did they even bother jailing him? Indonesia has a history of problems regarding its judiciary. Here's an example from Amnesty International:
"In August 2004, the convictions of four Indonesian military and police officers were overturned on appeal. They were found guilty of involvement in committing crimes against humanity in East Timor in 1999. The State Department noted it was “profoundly disappointed with the performance and record of the Indonesian ad hoc tribunal,” the special institution that was created in the wake of the murder of more than 1,400 East Timorese."
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=11387
Furthermore, more aid is on the way! At this same link:
"The Department of State is planning to request foreign military financing (FMF) for Indonesia for the fiscal year 2006 budget. Congress has restricted FMF for Indonesia since fiscal year 2000, conditioning its provision on accountability and justice for the military’s gross human rights violations. Amnesty International does not believe that these conditions have yet been met."
If you oppose foreign military financing to Indonesia in the FY2006 budget, you can go to the link and send an e-mail expressing your disapproval. You do NOT have to be a member of AI to participate, and it won't take much of your time (the letter is already written for you).
We haven't even discussed the gross human rights abuses committed in Aceh...
Indonesia is one of the nations on a narrow shipping corridor that terrorists could bottle up:
http://www.iags.org/fa2004.html
I would not be at all surprised if that is the reasoning behind re-establishing ties. Of course the article you posted gives NO clues as to their reasoning.
Here is one of Mr. Leahy's own statements on ties with Indonesia:
'So no one should be under any illusion that we are not engaging with the Indonesian military or that we are not working with them to thwart international terrorism. We are training them and we are working with them.
We are doing that despite the fact--and this is widely known--that the Indonesian military was responsible for creating and arming some of the most radical Muslim terrorist groups in that country.'
http://leahy.senate.gov/issues/foreign%20policy/1-22-03statement.html
Hmmm. The statement about Rice by Mr. Leahy is not dated, can you find me the most recent link to it? Thank you. Just seems like that site you linked to is taking a few things Waaaay out of context.
Giaour, i agree with you - amazing !
It's not simple though. Cut of Indonesia entirely, and others, Russian, China, Saudi Arabia ?, will rush in to fill the void.
America gives them training and $$, and hopes to influence a few leaders or potential future leaders, show them other possibilities, etc. Likely will not work, but may be the only alternative at this minute.
Like yourself, i have no hope whatsoever for Indonesia. The sooner it disintegrates the better; then we can back the parts, the islands, that deserve support.
Actually, aid from China and Russia - who know a thing or two about suppressing Muslim movements - might be a better option in the long run. In the state in which Indonesia is now, I am not far from feeling that a resolutely secular tyranny might be a better option - and healthier for the rest of the world - than a weak democracy under threat from violent Muslim movements. And the Russians and Chinese may be many things, but they aren't suicides.