Abu Bakar Bashir

Abu Bakar Bashir (also Abubakar Ba'asyir, Abdus Somad, and Ustad Abu ("Teacher Abu") (born August 17, 1938) is an Indonesian Muslim cleric and leader of the Indonesian Mujahedeen Council (MMI). Abu Bakar Bashir. ... Abu Bakar Bashir. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... The Indonesian Mujahedeen Council (MMI) is an umbrella organisation of Indonesian Islamist groups. ...

He runs the Al-Mukmin boarding school in Ngruki, Central Java which he co-founded with Abdullah Sungkar in 1972. He was in exile in Malaysia for 17 years during the secular New Order administration of the President of Indonesia Suharto resulting from various activities, including the urging the implementation of Sharia law. Central Java (Indonesian: Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia. ... Abdullah Sungkar Abdullah Sungkar (1937 – November, 1999), was an Indonesian Muslim cleric co-founder and leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a militant Islamic separatist group, until his death of natural causes in 1999. ... The New Order (Indonesian: Orde Baru) is the term coined by former Indonesian President Suharto to characterize his regime as he came to power in 1966. ... List of Presidents of Indonesia Categories: Indonesia | Lists of office-holders ... Haji Mohammad Soeharto (born June 8, 1921), more commonly referred to as simply Soeharto (Suharto in the English-speaking world), is a former Indonesian military and political leader. ... Sharia ( translit: ) refers to the body of Islamic law. ...

Intelligence agencies claim he is the spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiyah (also known as JI) and has links with Al-Qaeda.^{[citation needed]} Bashir, however, denies connections with Jemaah Islamiyah or terrorism stating he does not believe Jemaah Islamiyah exists. ^[1] Jemaah Islamiyah, sometimes rendered Jemaah Islamiah, is a militant Islamic terrorist organization dedicated to the establishment of a fundamentalist Islamic theocracy in Southeast Asia, in particular Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and the south of Thailand and the Philippines. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... Terrorist redirects here. ...

Biography

Bashir was born in Jombang, East Java in August 17, 1938. He was a student of Gontor Islamic boarding school in Ponorogo, graduating in 1959, before entering Al-Irsyad University, in Solo, Central Java and graduating in 1963. After time as an activist for the Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (Indonesian: "Islamic Student Association") in Solo, he was elected secretary of Al-Irsyad Youth Organization, and then president of Indonesian Islamic Youth Movement (GPII) (1961), and Indonesian Student Da'wah Organization (LDMI).^{[citation needed]} Jombang is a regency in East Java, Indonesia. ... Map showing East Java within Indonesia East Java (Indonesian: Jawa Timur) is one of Indonesias 32 provinces. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Surakarta (its formal name; locally it is referred to as Solo) is an Indonesian city of approximately 500,000 people located in Central Java. ... Central Java (Indonesian: Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ...

In 1972, Bashir founded Al-Mukmin boarding school with friends Abdullah Sungkar, Yoyo Roswadi, Abdul Qohar H. Daeng Matase and Abdllah Baraja. Al-Mukmin is located in Ngruki, near Solo, Central Java. Initially, Al-Mukmin's activities were limited to religious discussion after only short Islamic forum after dhuhr (mid-day prayer). Following increasing interest, the founders expanded Al-Mukmin into Madrasah (Islamic school) and then to Pesantren (Islamic boarding school). 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Dhuhr prayer (dh pronounced as th in Thou, or simplified to zo) is the mid-day or noon daily prayer recited by practising Muslims. ... A Madrasah complex in The Gambia Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand, ca. ... Pesantren or Pondok Pesantren is an Indonesian word for schools with an Islamic focus. ...

In 1983, during President of Indonesia Suharto's New Order, Bashir and Sungkar were arrested allegedly for urging Sharia, non-recognition of the Indonesian national ideology Pancasila which in part promotes religious pluralism, and their school refusal to salute the Indonesian flag which they considered to be shirk (Islamic defined polytheism). Furthermore, they were accused of supporting separatist organizations. ^{[citation needed]} He appealed, ^{[citation needed]} and in 1985 managed to escape to Medan, North Sumatra and then to Malaysia. In Malaysia, and also Singapore he was involved in religious teaching. USA alleged that during this period he became involved with Jamaah Islamiyah, an alleged militant Islamist group. ^{[citation needed]} 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... List of Presidents of Indonesia Categories: Indonesia | Lists of office-holders ... Haji Mohammad Soeharto (born June 8, 1921), more commonly referred to as simply Soeharto (Suharto in the English-speaking world), is a former Indonesian military and political leader. ... The New Order (Indonesian: Orde Baru) is the term coined by former Indonesian President Suharto to characterize his regime as he came to power in 1966. ... Sharia ( translit: ) refers to the body of Islamic law. ... Symbol of Indonesias Pancasila Pancasila, pronounced Panchaseela, is the philosophical basis of the Indonesian state. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Indonesia which is known as Sang Merah Putih in Indonesian is based on the flag of the Majapahit empire, back in the 13th century. ... Shirk is the Islamic concept of the sin of idolatry. ... Polytheism multiple gods or deities. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Medan is the capital city of North Sumatra province, Indonesia. ... Map of North Sumatra province within Indonesia North Sumatra (Indonesian: Sumatera Utara) is one of the provinces of Indonesia. ... Jemaah Islamiyah, sometimes rendered Jemaah Islamiah, is a militant Islamic separatist movement, suspected of killing hundreds of civilians, dedicated to the establishment of a fundamentalist Islamic state in Southeast Asia, in particular Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and the south of Thailand and the Philippines. ... Islamism is a political ideology derived from the conservative religious views of Muslim fundamentalism. ...

Following the 1998 reformation and resignation of Suharto, Bashir returned to Indonesia (in 1999), joined the Indonesian Mujahedeen Council, and renewed his call for Sharia. The Reformation (in bahasa Indonesia Reformasi) is the name commonly used for the present era in the history of Indonesia. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Indonesian Mujahedeen Council (MMI) is an umbrella organisation of Indonesian Islamist groups. ...

Views & controversies

He has expressed sympathy for Osama bin Laden, but that he didn't "agree with all of his actions," in particular "total war." He further stated "...If this occurs in an Islamic country, the fitnah [discord] will be felt by Muslims. But to attack them in their country [America] is fine." He has claimed the 9/11 attacks were a false flag attack by America and Israel to provide an excuse to attack Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq.^[2] He claims to believe that Jemaah Islamiyah doesn't exist and that the CIA and Israel were behind terror attacks in Indonesia including the 2002 Bali bombings^[3] After open confessions from the bombers, Bashir claimed in August 2006 that the 2002 Bali bombs were "replaced" by a "micro-nuclear" weapon by CIA. Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (Arabic: ‎; born March 10, 1957 [1]), most commonly known as Osama bin Laden is a militant Islamist and one of the founders of al-Qaeda. ... The date that commonly refers to the attacks on United States citizens on September 11, 2001 (see the September 11, 2001 Attacks). ... False flag operations are covert operations conducted by governments, corporations, or other organizations, which are designed to appear as if they are being carried out by other entities. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... National flags at Kuta explosion site (October 17, 2002) The First Bali Bombing occurred on October 12, 2002 in the town of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali, killing 202 people and injuring a further 209. ... National flags at Kuta explosion site (October 17, 2002) The First Bali Bombing occurred on October 12, 2002 in the town of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali, killing 202 people and injuring a further 209. ... A suitcase bomb is a bomb which uses a suitcase as its delivery method. ...

He has stated his belief that Indonesia must adhere to Sharia law and has renewed his calls for an Islamic state in Indonesia. ^[4]

Arrest and trial

In June 2002, the USA government demanded Indonesia turn over Omar Al-Faruq and Bashir. Megawati's administration captured Al-Faruq, transferred him to American custody, and he was subsequently held in Bagram prison in Afghanistan. But Megawati refused to transfer Bashir, and many Indonesians protested against the USA and supported Megawati's refusal to fulfill America's request. For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Omar al-Faruq is a Kuwaiti citizen, and alleged senior al Qaeda cadre, who escaped from the Bagram high value detention centre. ... Megawati Sukarnoputri Diah Permata Megawati Setiawati Sukarnoputri (born 23 January 1947), was President of Indonesia from July 2001 to 20 October 2004. ... Aromatic vials in the shape of Greek gods, Begram, 2nd century. ...

On April 14, 2003, he was formally charged by the Indonesian government with treason, immigration violations, and providing false documents and statements to the Indonesian police. The charges are mainly related to the Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia terror attacks against Christian churches, which killed 18 people. In the Indonesian court, he was found not guilty of treason because the state failed to prove its case, but was found guilty on the immigration violations. In a local TV news interview, Metro TV, when asked, 'Are you truly a terrorist?'; He simply answered, 'No, I've never killed anyone.' (In Indonesian). He was sentenced to three years in prison, but the sentence was subsequently reduced to 20 months due to his good behavior in the prison. April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Traitor redirects here. ... Location of the bombings On December 24, 2000 a series of explosion took place in Indonesia, which were part of a high-scale terrorist attack by the Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist networks. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Metro TV, Indonesias first 24-hour news channel based in Jakarta. ...

On October 15, 2004, he was arrested by the Indonesian authorities and charged with involvement in the bomb attack on the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta on August 5, 2003, which killed 14 people. Secondary charges in the same indictment accuse him of involvement in the 2002 Bali bombing, the first time he has faced charges in relation to that attack. On March 3, 2005, Bashir was found guilty of conspiracy over the 2002 attacks, but was found not guilty of the charges surrounding the 2003 bombing. He was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. He was also linked to the bomb attack on the Buddhist monument Borobudur in 1985 but managed to escape trial by seeking asylum in Malaysia (this explains the immigration charges against him above).^{[5][citation needed]} October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing occurred on 5 August 2003 in Jakarta, Indonesia. ... Marriott International, Inc. ... Jakarta (also Djakarta or DKI Jakarta), formerly known as Sunda Kelapa, Jayakarta and Batavia is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of psychology. ... Borobudur from a distance Borobudur is a Buddhist stupa related to the Mahayana tradition, and is the largest Buddhist monument on earth. ...

Remission and release

On 17 August 2005, as part of the tradition of remissions for Indonesia's Independence Day, Bashir's jail term was cut by 4 months and 15 days. On 14 June 2006, to cheers from his supporters waiting outside, Abu Bakar Bashir was released, having served 25+ months in Jakarta's Cipinang jail, where he held court and coordinated the publication of a commemorative book with his release. About forty bodyguards in uniform black jackets linked arms to escort Bashir through chanting crowds. August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After returning to the boarding school for which he is the spiritual leader, he pledged a renewed campaign to impose Islamic sharia law on Indonesia. He also called Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, to convert to Islam in order to save him from hell and receive God's forgiveness.^[6] Howard said that Australians would be "extremely disappointed, even distressed" at the news of the release.^[7] In August 2006, Bashir claimed that the 2002 Bali bombs were replaced by the American CIA with a "micro-nuclear" weapon. He also claimed the original bombs were only intended to injure people, not kill them - despite the bombers' own admissions and public testimony. [1] In answer to one reporter's question as to what the West and the United States can do to make the world safer, Bashir replied, "They have to stop fighting Islam. That's impossible because it is sunnatullah [destiny, a law of nature], as Allah has said in the Koran. If they want to have peace, they have to accept to be governed by Islam." [2] Sharia ( translit: ) refers to the body of Islamic law. ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), an Australian politician, is the Prime Minister of Australia. ... Jahannam is the Islamic equivalent to Hell. ... Allah is the Arabic language word referring to God, the Lord and, literally according to the Quran, to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Abrahamic religions. ...

On December 21, 2006, Bashir's conviction was overturned by Indonesia's Supreme Court. He publicly criticised the United Nations because he remained on the body's list of international terrorists, saying "I am terrorist number 35 on the list."^[8] December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ...

Notes

... June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation or ABC (formerly the Australian Broadcasting Commission) is Australias national non-profit public broadcaster. ... ABC News and Current Affairs is the division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that controls content some classify as News, Public Affairs and Current Affairs. ... June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... The current BBC News logo BBC News and Current Affairs is a major arm of the BBC responsible for the corporations newsgathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Indonesia Portal

• "We should not fear being called radical", Interview by Farish A. Noor for Al Jazeera International, August 21, 2006
• "Profile: Abu Bakar Ba'asyir", BBC
• "Bashir to face Bali charges", ABC
• "A chilling message for the infidels", The First Post
• "Bali bomb cleric freed from jail", BBC
• "Bashir's release a cause of great pain: Howard", The Age
• Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, A biography by tempointeraktif.com (Indonesian)