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Indonesia awaits Abu Bakar Ba'asyir verdict | Indonesia awaits Abu Bakar Ba'asyir verdict |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Indonesia is ramping up security in preparation for a verdict in the terrorism trial of radical cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. | Indonesia is ramping up security in preparation for a verdict in the terrorism trial of radical cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. |
Police chief Sutarman said more than 3,000 security personnel would secure the Jakarta court and surrounding area. | Police chief Sutarman said more than 3,000 security personnel would secure the Jakarta court and surrounding area. |
Ba'asyir, 72, is accused of helping to organise and fund a jihadi training camp in western Aceh province. | Ba'asyir, 72, is accused of helping to organise and fund a jihadi training camp in western Aceh province. |
He denies involvement with the training camp but has repeatedly defended it as legal under Islam. | He denies involvement with the training camp but has repeatedly defended it as legal under Islam. |
The cleric has been involved in radical Islamic groups in Indonesia for four decades. | The cleric has been involved in radical Islamic groups in Indonesia for four decades. |
Over the years, he has been repeatedly arrested, jailed and then released. | Over the years, he has been repeatedly arrested, jailed and then released. |
Prosecutors have asked for a life sentence for Ba'asyir. | Prosecutors have asked for a life sentence for Ba'asyir. |
His spokesman, Hasyim Abdullah, said he was read to face "the heaviest punishment". | His spokesman, Hasyim Abdullah, said he was read to face "the heaviest punishment". |
Supporters of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir have already arrived at the court house in South Jakarta, a few hours before the verdict on the 72-year-old preacher will be read out. | |
He needs no introduction to Indonesians - he is a familiar face here. | |
He is believed to be the spiritual influence behind radical Islamic groups in the country. | |
Mr Ba'asyir has maintained that he is just an Islamic cleric, and is not inciting acts of terror. | |
Mr Ba'asyir has faced terrorism charges before - in fact, this is the third time he has been on trial for his alleged participation in extremist activities. | |
Police detained him after the Bali bombings of 2002, but his conviction was overturned after he had served 26 months in jail. | |
This time prosecutors say Mr Ba'asyir is responsible for helping to raise funds for a jihadi training camp in Aceh, which was discovered last year. | |
Jakarta is on alert ahead of the verdict. A string of threatening SMS and Twitter messages have been circulating in Jakarta over the last few days. saying that any severe punishment for Mr Ba'asyir will have violent repercussions. | |
The police aren't taking any chances and have deployed 3,000 officers at the court, as well as stepping up security around police headquarters. | |
Whatever verdict Mr Bashir gets, they say they want to be prepared. | |
"He believes the verdict is deliberately designed to stop his dakwah [religious teachings]," said Mr Abdullah. | "He believes the verdict is deliberately designed to stop his dakwah [religious teachings]," said Mr Abdullah. |
He was arrested by anti-terror police last August, months after the Aceh camp was raided by police. | He was arrested by anti-terror police last August, months after the Aceh camp was raided by police. |
The discovery of the camp has led to the arrests of more than 120 suspected terrorists over several months. | The discovery of the camp has led to the arrests of more than 120 suspected terrorists over several months. |
Experts believe the Aceh group was planning to form a militia to directly attack government targets and eventually impose an Islamic state. | Experts believe the Aceh group was planning to form a militia to directly attack government targets and eventually impose an Islamic state. |
Earlier in Ba'asyir's trial, prosecutor Andi Muhammad Taufik told the court that the cleric had helped raise money that would have been used for terrorism. | Earlier in Ba'asyir's trial, prosecutor Andi Muhammad Taufik told the court that the cleric had helped raise money that would have been used for terrorism. |
Ba'asyir has said the allegations against him were "engineered by America". | Ba'asyir has said the allegations against him were "engineered by America". |
He was convicted of conspiracy over the 2002 Bali bomb attacks, in which more than 200 people died. | He was convicted of conspiracy over the 2002 Bali bomb attacks, in which more than 200 people died. |
But he was freed in 2006 after his sentence was cut, and his conviction was eventually quashed on appeal. | But he was freed in 2006 after his sentence was cut, and his conviction was eventually quashed on appeal. |
Most analysts agree that he has been the spiritual leader of the military jihadi network Jemaah Islamiah for a number of years. | Most analysts agree that he has been the spiritual leader of the military jihadi network Jemaah Islamiah for a number of years. |
But he was cleared of involvement with the group after a trial in 2003. | But he was cleared of involvement with the group after a trial in 2003. |