Australia warns Jakarta on cleric

Ba'asyir could be released in the next few weeks

Australia has asked Indonesia to keep Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir in jail, despite a court ruling that may see him freed next month.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer argued that the alleged spiritual leader of militant group Jemaah Islamiah could incite more violence.

This followed comments from the cleric that the US and its allies would be destroyed in the name of Islam.

The group is blamed for 202 deaths in the October 2002 Bali bombings.

He will endeavour to inspire this perverted interpretation of Islam and try to inspire his followers to overthrow in time moderate Islamic governments and to attack what they regard as infidels and heretics Alexander Downer Australian Foreign Minister

Mr Downer has said the cleric would, if he was set free, use his "perverted interpretation of Islam" to inspire his followers to attack western targets.

Ba'asyir was jailed for four years in September 2003 for immigration offences.

He was also found guilty of subversion, a conviction that was later overturned on appeal.

He was acquitted of a charge of leading Jemaah Islamiah and has never been directly implicated in the attacks in Bali.

The Supreme Court in Jakarta ruled his sentence should be reduced, which could see him released in the next few weeks.

Lawyers for the jailed man told AFP news agency a release date of 30 April had already been approved by Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra.

'Oppose physically'

Australia wants the decision to reduce his sentence, taken by a single judge, to be reversed by a full panel of Supreme Court justices.

"He will endeavour to inspire this perverted interpretation of Islam and try to inspire his followers to overthrow in time moderate Islamic governments and to attack what they regard as infidels and heretics," Mr Downer said.

In an interview broadcast on Australian TV on Wednesday night, Ba'asyir said that the US and those countries that actively supported the war in Iraq, especially Britain and Australia, were doomed.

"My advice to all governments who support America is to retreat because they are supporting crimes," he said.

"I am convinced that sooner or later America and the countries that assist it will be destroyed by Allah."

He said that the methods used should depend on the situation.

"We have to oppose America physically in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere," he said.

"Every effort to attack America is good because it's according to religion, but it has to be in accordance with the situation," he added. "Nowadays, we should not attack America with weapons, politics [is] enough."

Ba'asyir also blamed the bombings in Madrid on Spain's support for the US-led campaign in the Gulf.