INDONESIA: The suspected mastermind of the Bali bombings told an Indonesian court yesterday that he knows Osama bin Laden well but that the al-Qaeda leader has not assisted his activities.
Mukhlas (42), alias Ali Ghufron, was one of four Bali bomb suspects who testified in the trial of Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, as prosecutors sought to prove that Bashir heads the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) regional terror group.
JI is blamed for the Bali bombings that killed 202 people last October and for a string of other blasts. Mukhlas is JI's alleged operations chief.
Mukhlas said he went to Pakistan in 1989, met Arab mujahideen there and joined them in Afghanistan.
Asked by one of the judges if he knew bin Laden, who also served in Afghanistan, Mukhlas said: "Yes, I know him well." Defence lawyers objected to the question but judges asked Mukhlas if there was any assistance from bin Laden for his activities.
"There is not," he said.
Hundreds of police guarded the court as the four testified.
Their evidence provided new insights into JI but did not link Bashir to any bombings.
Imam Samudra, who allegedly picked two Western-frequented nightspots as the Bali targets, said bombings are part of jihad (holy war or struggle).
He quoted a verse from the Koran as saying: "Fight in the path of Allah against people who are fighting Muslims." Asked about Muslims who died, Samudra said this was unintentional. "God will forgive." Asked about Christians, he replied: "Christians are not my brothers." Samudra said Bashir (64) had never ordered any bombings and dismissed the cleric as out of touch and boring.
"It's the age of the Internet but he still talks about mysticism while Muslims are being slaughtered. Allah's plan will prevail," Samudra shouted as he left court.
"You are a hero of Islam," some spectators shouted back.
Samudra denied any relationship with JI but the other three admitted they are members.
The trial was adjourned to next Wednesday. - (AFP)