Bali suspect details militant links

Security is tight around the court

One of four key suspects arrested in connection with last year's Bali bombings has begun giving evidence in the trial of a militant Islamic cleric, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

Prosecutors are hoping all four Bali suspects will shed more light on the links between the radical cleric, who is on trial for treason, and a regional militant group which has been blamed for the Bali attacks.

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is charged with trying to weaken the Indonesian Government in a bid to turn the country into a hardline Islamic state, but he has not been charged with the Bali incident.

My feeling is that after the previous leader of Jemaah Islamiah died, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir took over

Ali Imron

The first witness to take the stand was Ali Imron , who is accused of having helped assemble the bombs for the Bali plot and to have driven the van that carried them.

About 150 supporters of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir punched the air and shouted "Allahu Akbar (God is great)" when the witness, wearing a brown batik shirt and a neatly trimmed moustache and beard, entered the chamber in Jakarta.

"Does Jemaah Islamiah exist in Indonesia?" asked the prosecution.

"I think so," replied Ali Imron.

"Does it or doesn't it?", interjected the judge. "Yes it does," came the reply, "and I'm a member."

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir has denied that JI exists.

The charges against the cleric relate principally to a wave of church bombings on Christmas Eve 2000, which killed 19 people.

ABU BAKAR BA'ASYIR

Has praised Osama Bin Laden

Runs an Islamic school in Java

Denies links with terrorism

Full profile

Ali Imron told the court that he himself was involved in the Christmas attacks, but that he had heard nothing to indicate that Abu Bakar Ba'asyir was involved.

He said that a man known as Hambali - who has been named as a suspect in a string of bombings across South East Asia - had ordered the church bombings.

But Ali Imron did confirm that he had met the defendant many times in Indonesia and Malaysia.

"Is Abu Bakar Ba'asyir a leader of Jemaah Islamiah?" asked one of the panel of judges.

"I don't know for sure," replied Ali Imron - "but my feeling is that after the previous leader of Jemaah Islamiah died, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir took over."

Ali Imron said he was sworn in as a member of JI during a meeting in Malaysia in 1991 and undertook to "do whatever Allah orders to the best of my ability".

Another witness, Mukhlas, has now taken the stand.

He is said to have been the overall supervisor of the Bali attacks.

And two other witnesses - Imam Samudra and Mubarak - are yet to testify.

Imam Samudra is accused of being the field commander of the Bali attacks. His trial is scheduled to start next week.