Bashir to walk free from jail

[foreigncorrespondent]

A Bali bombing survivor has expressed disbelief at the release of the alleged spiritual leader of the terrorist network which carried out the attacks.

Militant Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, the alleged spiritual head of terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah, is set to walk free from a Jakarta jail today.

The Australian government is unhappy but says it accepts the Indonesian legal decision.

Link: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/bashir-to-walk-free-from-jail/2006/06/14/1149964568540.html

All the while David Hicks still remains in Gitmo.

[Matilda]

1. Payback time for Indonesia?

I can't find any information giving the reasons for his release. He is supposed to have his assets
frozen and be kept under surveillance, but the carrying out of that proviso is up to Indonesia.

Can't help feeling it's retaliation for the visas granted to the asylum seekers.

I can only hope this will encourage the Senate to vote down Howard's crawling new legislation
providing for off-shore detention of future asylum seekers.

[foreigncorrespondent]

2. I reckon you are right...

...on all accounts, mate!

They won't watch him properly, and something else will end up happening. Mark my words.

[Djinn]

3. Nothing to do with the Aus/Indo "difficulties"

He was released in accordance with Indonesian law. Had he been in Australia he would never even have been charged. That he served any time at all is only down to Indonesia's draconian legal system, something, that despite what I personally think about the man I can't cheer for.

We've been shoving asylum seekers into offshore gulags for some time now (and have been locking them up under mandatory sentencing since the ALP made it policy over a decade ago)

[Violet_Crumble]

4. I agree with you about that....

The firebrand cleric, convicted of involvement in the first Bali bombings in 2002, has completed a 25 month jail term for giving blessings as leader of JI to the attacks which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.

Why I don't think this is a well-timed Fuck You to Australia is coz most of the victims were Indonesian, and it was the Indonesian economy that suffered afterwards...