Kayla Morgan (blog #5)
2/19/11
7:50 p.m.
Indonesia Man on Trial for Terrorism
On Monday February 14th 2011, in Jakarta Indonesia, 72 years old Abu Bakar Bashir went to trial, on charges of setting up a terror cell accused of plotting high profile assassinations and attacks on foreigners in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. If found guilty he faces a maximum penalty of the death sentence. Before arriving at the courthouse Bashir stated with a smile on his face, “ These charges against me are fabricated. All I ever wanted to do was defend Islam.” With 237 million people, Indonesia is the most secular nation, and has been hit with bombings and various other forms of terrorist attacks blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah, which is an al Qaida linked network, in which Bashir helped found just over ten years ago. He has been tried in earlier years for conspiracy on other attacks, which lead to over 260 people being killed, and has done jail time for violating immigration laws, but nothing as serious as his most recent trial. Unlike the past, this time prosecutors are almost positive that they have enough evidence for a terror conviction. He is being accused of helping arrange, financial support, are and mobilize foot soldiers for a new terror cell that was uncovered last year in westernmost Aceh province as part of the efforts to take out an Islamic state. Officials say al Qaida in Aceh was planning bombings on Western hotels and embassies and several high profile assassinations, including on Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Also this cell was blamed last year for many bank robberies, supposedly for getting money to but all the weapons to make attacks.
Terrorist attacks are never good no matter where or when they happen, but for Indonesia, this is a really hard time for there nation. Recently religious tensions and violence has been occurring quite often. Networks such as al Qaida’s, Jemaah Islamiyah, need to stop and think about all the violence they are creating. I know they could personally care less, but they cause so much violence and sadness in the world when it is simply not necessary. Abu Bakar Bashir made the comment that all he wanted to do was defend Islam, well you can definitely find another way to defend instead of choosing to kill hundreds of innocent people all the time.
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/indonesias-radical-cleric-on-837370.html
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