Bali suspect alleges police torture

Amrozi is the fifth Bali suspect to testify at Mr Ba'asyir's trial

A suspect in the Bali bombings has claimed that police threatened him with torture unless he admitted attending religious classes from the alleged spiritual leader of a regional militant Islamic group.

Amrozi bin Nurhasyim - usually referred to as Amrozi - made the allegations while giving testimony at the trial of the cleric concerned, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

Prosecutors are hoping the Bali suspects will shed more light on the links between the preacher, who is on a separate trial for treason, and the militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), which has been blamed for the Bali attacks.

Amrozi also told the court he saw police torture his older brother Mukhlas, the man believed to be the mastermind of last October's Bali bombings, which killed more than 200 people.

Police spokesman Brigadier General Edward Aritonang denied both accusations, telling the Associated Press news agency: "We have proof that he (Amrozi) was never under pressure and was accompanied by lawyers during interrogations."

Mr Ba'asyir denies heading JI, or even that the group exists.

But the Indonesian authorities have blamed JI for a series of attacks in the region, including the Bali bombings. Mukhlas has admitted under oath to both the attack, and to working as JI's operations chief.

Intelligence sources in Indonesia and abroad claim the group has links with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

'I made it up'

As Amrozi entered Thursday's court session in Jakarta, he was greeted by shouts of "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) from Mr Ba'asyir's supporters.

A prosecutor asked Amrozi to confirm a statement he had made on a previous occasion, saying he had attended Mr Ba'asyir's classes during his time in Malaysia.

INDONESIA'S TERROR TRIALS

Amrozi

Trial began on 12 May

Accused of providing the van and bombs used in the attacks.

Imam Samudra

Trial began on 2 June

Accused of planning the attacks.

Mukhlas (Ali Gufron)

Trial began on 16 June

Accused of being the 'mastermind' behind the attacks

Also said to be operations chief of regional militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI).

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir

On trial for series of church bombings in 2000.

Often linked to Bali bombings as he is accused of being JI's spiritual leader

"That's not true. I just made that up," Amrozi replied.

"I had seen in front of my own eyes police seriously torturing Mukhlas," Amrozi told the court. "I was also threatened."

As well as denying attending Mr Ba'asyir's classes, Amrozi said he "did not know" whether the 64-year-old Muslim cleric was the JI leader.

Several other witnesses - including Mukhlas and three other Bali suspects - have already said they knew nothing to indicate Mr Ba'asyir was involved in any terrorist acts in the region, and correspondents say Amrozi's comments could weaken the prosecution's case still further.

Mr Ba'asyir has not been named as a suspect in the Bali case.

Instead he is accused of authorising the bombings of Indonesian churches on Christmas Eve 2000, which killed 19 people.

He is also accused of planning a failed attack on American interests in Singapore, and trying to overthrow the Indonesian Government in a bid to turn the country - the world's most populous Muslim nation - into a hardline Islamic state.