KUALA
LUMPUR, September 2 (IslamOnline.net) - At the end of a trial - seen
as unjust in Indonesia and South East Asia (SEA) - Abu Bakar Baysir,
leader of the Mujahideen Council of Indonesia (MMI) and owner of an
Islamic school in Indonesia has Tuesday, September 2, been sentenced
for 4 years jail term.
There
was tight security at the court where the judgment was announced but
it all proved to be useless as supporters of the 64 years old Baysir
abided to his appeal to the young men for the respect of the laws of
the country.
The
court said it found Baysir guilty of treason but added that there were
no proof the leader led a plot to overthrow the government of
President Megawati Sukarnoputri nor was he the leader of the (alleged)
Jemaah Islamiah (JI) as claimed by the Singapore and U.S. government.
While
the judges delivered the verdict, Baysir remained calm and patient as
usual and responded with his firm belief that his arrest and jailing
is linked to other political matters in Indonesia and had nothing to
do with "terrorism".
"Just
because I am fighting for Islamic Shariah law I am accused of
subversion," said a calm-looking Bashir, 65, after the sentence
was announced.
Earlier
last month, the widely-respected Baysir addressed his followers
through the courts, urging them to continue the fight for the
establishment of a Shari'a system in Indonesia and to do without the
current constitution, which allows Muslims to convert to other
religions.
The
MMI commented that the jailing of Baysir for 4 years is as punitive as
possible, adding that the group rejected this verdict "that shows
there is no justice in Indonesia,” IOL was told.
Baysir
himself rejected the verdict saying that he will appeal.
But
chief judge Muhammad Saleh said Baysir "has been proven to take
part in subversion with the aim of overthrowing the government" -
a subsidiary charge which the scholar had faced.
Judges
ruled that the time Baysir has already spent in custody be deducted
from the sentence. He was arrested last October.
"I
cannot accept this and I state that I will appeal."
“From
the facts presented, it is impossible to say Baysir is the leader of
the JI and it is impossible to condemn him as such,” said the Chief
Justice Mohamad Saleh on Tuesday.
Yet,
Saleh said it has been proven that Baysir has taken part in subversion
with the aim of overthrowing the government, which amounted to the
jail sentence of 4 years.
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His supporters protest the sentence
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Subversion
and treason in Indonesia carries possible death sentences but Baysir
was spared this treatment due to his strong defense and the lack of
proof based on the accusations laid against him in this case, the MMI
said to IOL.
“I
pity Baysir. A man who never wanted violence and bombings, he never
told anyone to go bomb anything, that I can tell you as a close friend
of Baysir,” the MMI leader said to IOL in private.
Baysir
is known for his anti-U.S. stance and for his rhetoric’s against
western influences in Muslim societies around South East Asia.
Some
observers told IOL Tuesday that they expect some form of retaliation
from supporters of Baysir who would not listen to his advice at this
stage of the court judgment.
“People
are fed-up with corruption and with cases like these. This government
has to buckle-up and deliver the right form of justice in this country
rather than accusing people without proof,” said the MMI leader
known as Sheikh Ahmad.
Baysir
sentence will be deducted of the one year he has already spent in
jail, he was arrested in October last year after the bloody Bali
bombing of 12th October.
He
denied all the charges against him and his lawyers says they are at
least pleased that he is not condemned on these charges but they will
make sure he is out of jail soon.
