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Terror Trial: Police on Alert as Verdict Read in Jakarta Bombing

Aired September 02, 2003 - 06:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Jakarta, Indonesia, hundreds of police and extra security are on hand outside the courtroom as the verdict against accused terrorist and Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is read.
Jakarta bureau chief Maria Ressa joins us live via videophone with the latest.

What is the verdict?

MARIA RESSA, CNN JAKARTA BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, it's been a meticulous process that began more than eight hours ago. In effect, the judges are going over every single detail of a trial that began on April 23. There have been 31 witnesses. They have been reading out of a 222-page court summary since 9:00 in the morning local time. It's past 5:00 now. They're just getting to the point now where they are telling people what they think of the evidence.

So far, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, according to the judges, that they feel they have enough evidence to say that he did commit treasonous acts against the Indonesian government by plotting to overthrow the Indonesian government. They do, however, say that they don't feel that they have evidence -- enough evidence to say that he is the head of Jemaah Islamiyah. This is the terror network that is al Qaeda's arm in Southeast Asia. Nor do they have enough evidence to say that he planned to assassinate President Megawati Sukarnoputri while she was still vice president.

The procedure is still continuing. It is a very long process. Each of the judges gives their opinion on the evidence and then afterwards they will give their final decisions and the sentence. Maximum sentence is life in prison. The prosecutors have asked for 15 years in jail -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And of course, Maria, why this is so interesting to Americans is that this terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, is al Qaeda linked, and this man may be the head of that. What are you hearing on the streets about that?

RESSA: Well certainly this is a turning point for Indonesia. If you recall, post 9-11 Indonesia was in denial about the terror network that was within its borders for more than a year. In fact, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir here was wanted for arrest in neighboring country Singapore and Malaysia but he lived freely in Indonesia. In fact, Indonesia didn't clamp down on the terror network within its borders until after the Bali bombing on October 12, 2002 where more than 200 people were killed.

Americans should be concerned about this. This is an offshoot of Osama bin Laden's radical ideology. Abu Bakar Ba'asyir here has been called the Asian Osama bin Laden. He is spreading the same type of ideology and has created the same type of terror network, according to intelligence sources, in the region and in the Western countries like the United States.

The problem is that when it's the country with the world's largest Muslim population the war on terror becomes more difficult. Here in Indonesia the war on terror is a battle for the soul of Islam between a moderate majority and a radical minority. The difficulty in Indonesia is getting that moderate majority to actually act against a radical minority who they see as brethren.

COSTELLO: Maria Ressa reporting live from Jakarta, Indonesia. And you'll keep us up to date. And we'll keep checking back with you when a verdict finally comes down. Maria Ressa.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Bombing>


Aired September 2, 2003 - 06:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Jakarta, Indonesia, hundreds of police and extra security are on hand outside the courtroom as the verdict against accused terrorist and Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is read.
Jakarta bureau chief Maria Ressa joins us live via videophone with the latest.

What is the verdict?

MARIA RESSA, CNN JAKARTA BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, it's been a meticulous process that began more than eight hours ago. In effect, the judges are going over every single detail of a trial that began on April 23. There have been 31 witnesses. They have been reading out of a 222-page court summary since 9:00 in the morning local time. It's past 5:00 now. They're just getting to the point now where they are telling people what they think of the evidence.

So far, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, according to the judges, that they feel they have enough evidence to say that he did commit treasonous acts against the Indonesian government by plotting to overthrow the Indonesian government. They do, however, say that they don't feel that they have evidence -- enough evidence to say that he is the head of Jemaah Islamiyah. This is the terror network that is al Qaeda's arm in Southeast Asia. Nor do they have enough evidence to say that he planned to assassinate President Megawati Sukarnoputri while she was still vice president.

The procedure is still continuing. It is a very long process. Each of the judges gives their opinion on the evidence and then afterwards they will give their final decisions and the sentence. Maximum sentence is life in prison. The prosecutors have asked for 15 years in jail -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And of course, Maria, why this is so interesting to Americans is that this terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, is al Qaeda linked, and this man may be the head of that. What are you hearing on the streets about that?

RESSA: Well certainly this is a turning point for Indonesia. If you recall, post 9-11 Indonesia was in denial about the terror network that was within its borders for more than a year. In fact, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir here was wanted for arrest in neighboring country Singapore and Malaysia but he lived freely in Indonesia. In fact, Indonesia didn't clamp down on the terror network within its borders until after the Bali bombing on October 12, 2002 where more than 200 people were killed.

Americans should be concerned about this. This is an offshoot of Osama bin Laden's radical ideology. Abu Bakar Ba'asyir here has been called the Asian Osama bin Laden. He is spreading the same type of ideology and has created the same type of terror network, according to intelligence sources, in the region and in the Western countries like the United States.

The problem is that when it's the country with the world's largest Muslim population the war on terror becomes more difficult. Here in Indonesia the war on terror is a battle for the soul of Islam between a moderate majority and a radical minority. The difficulty in Indonesia is getting that moderate majority to actually act against a radical minority who they see as brethren.

COSTELLO: Maria Ressa reporting live from Jakarta, Indonesia. And you'll keep us up to date. And we'll keep checking back with you when a verdict finally comes down. Maria Ressa.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





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