Bangkok Post
Jakarta (dpa) - Indonesia's most prominent convicted terrorist urged the government Monday to send holy warriors to attack Israel for its ongoing military operations in Palestinian territories.
Abu Bakar Bashir, reputed leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian offshoot of al-Qaeda, has continued his acerbic rants against the West and Israel since being released from prison last month.
"Israel is the enemy of Allah. So the Indonesian government should send holy warriors there," Bashir said while speaking before the conservative Muslim-based Crescent Star Party in Jakarta, according to the Elshinta radio station.
His statements came as Israel continued military operations against Palestinian militants and the territory's infrastructure in the Gaza Strip following the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier.
Bashir was released after 26 months in prison for conspiracy in connection with the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people. The United States and Australia condemned his light jail sentence but the Jakarta government had little choice but to release him given that bungling prosecutors failed to prove Bashir was the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, which is blamed for several terrorist attacks across Indonesia since 2000.
The radical cleric's comments are likely to embarass the Indonesian government, which despite his release has been combating terrorism at home, and further raise fears that Bashir will incite radical followers to launch new terrorist attacks.
