Muslim cleric 'involved in Bali attack'
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JIHAD IN ASIA
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A CNN Special Report by Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa
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SPECIAL REPORT
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JAKARTA, Indonesia -- At least one high-ranking Indonesian official is connecting the Bali bombings to a detained Muslim cleric, and is warning that more al Qaeda attacks are possible.
The Associated Press on Friday quoted Indonesia's defense minister as saying that Abu Bakar Ba'asyir was likely involved in the Bali bombings that claimed nearly 200 lives.
"We see that (terror suspects) Hambali, Samudra and Amrozi are all students of Ba'asyir," said Indonesian Defense Minister Matori Abdul Jalil, according to AP.
"If an organization has so many activists who are involved in bombings, then it is impossible that a leader has no knowledge of it."
Matori is the first Indonesian official to link Ba'asyir to the Bali bombings, which ripped through two popular nightclubs on October 12 leaving more than 180 dead.
One thing in common
Over the past two years there has been a series of terror attacks in Indonesia, and while police have an array of suspects, they all have one thing in common: Ba'asyir.
The Bali bombings were the worst terrorist attacks since September 11th. But they were not the first to hit this Southeast Asian nation.
In 2000, a series of bombs ripped through churches across Indonesia on Christmas Eve, killing 18. An attempt to assassinate the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia left two dead.
All of the suspects behind these attacks are linked to Ba'asyir. Ba'asyir, an elderly cleric, is the spiritual leader of regional militant group Jemaah Islamiyah. The group has been placed on the U.S. terror watch list for its links with al Qaeda.
Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group has published an extensive report on the network.
"It's not clear whether he played any kind of operational role, but he's the glue that holds the association together," says Sidney Jones.
Almost every terror suspect in custody has either studied under Ba'asyir or in a Ba'asyir founded school, avidly following his sermons.
Weak evidence
But the actual evidence against Ba'aysir is weak. No suspect in Indonesian custody admits that Ba'asyir ever gave an order to carry out an attack.
That charge comes from Omar Al-Faruq -- the alleged al Qaeda point man in Southeast Asia, now in U.S. custody. He told interrogators Ba'asyir "gave his blessing" to several attacks.
Many in Indonesia are skeptical. One Islamic boarding school was founded with the help of Ba'asyir and is home to one of the confessed Bali bombers. But the school's headmaster refuses to acknowledge a link.
"Right now, I don't believe it for one bit that Ba'asyir is involved in the Bali bombing," says Zakaria an Islamic teacher.
'All roads link to him'
Ba'asyir denies any involvement in terrorism. He is now under detention in a police hospital, in relation to a series of church bombings, refusing to answer investigator's questions -- daring them to make a case against him.
"If the government can't make a convincing case, it's going to look very bad and probably gain additional supporters for Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and the people around him," says Jones.
"In Indonesia's war on terror, all roads seem to lead to Ba'asyir. But police still need to find concrete evidence tying him to the attacks. Inspiring terrorism, police say, is not enough to lock Ba'asyir away," he added.
-- CNN Correspondent Atika Shubert and The Associated Press contributed to this report
Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
