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'Seeds of Terror': The al Qaeda Link
Aired June 13, 2003 - 14:15 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A man on trial for treason in Indonesia is accused of being the spiritual leader of a terrorist group, and that group is believed to have connections with al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden's terror network.
Maria Ressa is our bureau chief in Jakarta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA RESSA, CNN JAKARTA BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): October 12, 2002, the worst terrorist attack since September 11, three bombs, the largest planted outside the Sari Club in Bali. The explosions designed, investigators say, to funnel people closer to the last and deadliest blast, so fierce it ruptured the internal organs of many in the club. More than 200 people died, hundreds more injured.
Indonesian officials say the attack was the work of Jamaah Islamiyah, al Qaeda's network in Southeast Asia. The man who controls that network, officials across the region say, is Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Ba'Asyir, dubbed "the Asian Osama bin Laden."
ABU BAKAR BA'ASYIR, TREASON DEFENDANT (through translator): The one truth is Islam, the one thing that can save us is Islam, but we must commit to it. That is what I teach. If Islamic law is disturbed, there is no compromise.
RESSA: In some circles in Indonesia, Ba'Asyir is a revered figure. He befriended well-connected politicians like Indonesia's vice president, even though officials in Singapore and Malaysia linked him to terrorism and issued warrants for his arrest.
BA'ASYIR (through translator): If Islam is attacked, there are only two responses. We are victorious or we die. That is what it means to rise up and defend Islam. That is what the infidels and Jews call violence, but if you're going to defend Islam, you either win or you die. You can't sit on the sidelines.
RESSA: Officials across Southeast Asia name Abu Bakar Ba'Asyir as the head of al Qaeda's network in the region, Jamaah Islamiyah, an organization he claims does not even exist.
Days after the Bali attack, Ba'Asyir was arrested and eventually charged with treason. Just before going to jail, he gave an interview to CNN. He denies any links to terrorism and emphasizes the message many Indonesians have come to believe.
BA'ASYRI (through translator): All of the violence in Indonesia has been engineered by America and Israel. Israel is Islam's strongest enemy, most radical. America is being used by Israel in order to attack Islam.
COLLINS: And you can Maria Ressa's full piece on "CNN PRESENTS." It's called "Seeds of Terror" this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Eastern as well.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired June 13, 2003 - 14:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A man on trial for treason in Indonesia is accused of being the spiritual leader of a terrorist group, and that group is believed to have connections with al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden's terror network.
Maria Ressa is our bureau chief in Jakarta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA RESSA, CNN JAKARTA BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): October 12, 2002, the worst terrorist attack since September 11, three bombs, the largest planted outside the Sari Club in Bali. The explosions designed, investigators say, to funnel people closer to the last and deadliest blast, so fierce it ruptured the internal organs of many in the club. More than 200 people died, hundreds more injured.
Indonesian officials say the attack was the work of Jamaah Islamiyah, al Qaeda's network in Southeast Asia. The man who controls that network, officials across the region say, is Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Ba'Asyir, dubbed "the Asian Osama bin Laden."
ABU BAKAR BA'ASYIR, TREASON DEFENDANT (through translator): The one truth is Islam, the one thing that can save us is Islam, but we must commit to it. That is what I teach. If Islamic law is disturbed, there is no compromise.
RESSA: In some circles in Indonesia, Ba'Asyir is a revered figure. He befriended well-connected politicians like Indonesia's vice president, even though officials in Singapore and Malaysia linked him to terrorism and issued warrants for his arrest.
BA'ASYIR (through translator): If Islam is attacked, there are only two responses. We are victorious or we die. That is what it means to rise up and defend Islam. That is what the infidels and Jews call violence, but if you're going to defend Islam, you either win or you die. You can't sit on the sidelines.
RESSA: Officials across Southeast Asia name Abu Bakar Ba'Asyir as the head of al Qaeda's network in the region, Jamaah Islamiyah, an organization he claims does not even exist.
Days after the Bali attack, Ba'Asyir was arrested and eventually charged with treason. Just before going to jail, he gave an interview to CNN. He denies any links to terrorism and emphasizes the message many Indonesians have come to believe.
BA'ASYRI (through translator): All of the violence in Indonesia has been engineered by America and Israel. Israel is Islam's strongest enemy, most radical. America is being used by Israel in order to attack Islam.
COLLINS: And you can Maria Ressa's full piece on "CNN PRESENTS." It's called "Seeds of Terror" this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Eastern as well.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
