Witness Says Cleric Led Terror Group

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A key trial witness today became the first to back up prosecution charges that Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir headed the Jemaah Islamiah terror group blamed for deadly attacks in Jakarta and Bali.

The testimony came from Nasir Abbas, a Malaysian who claims to be a former Jemaah Islamiah operative.

Hundreds of Bashir supporters jeered and shouted “Liar!” as Abbas addressed the court in southern Jakarta.

Abbas said Bashir went to a Jemaah Islamiah training camp in April 2000 in the southern Philippines to address 17 Indonesian recruits.

“Bashir headed Jemaah Islamiah. He gave a speech in front of the students,” said Abbas.

Abbas, an instructor at the camp, said Bashir told the recruits that the military training was “what we have to do, it is part of the jihad. This is good.”

Bashir is charged -- as head of Jemaah Islamiah -- with inspiring his followers to launch the Oct. 12, 2002, Bali bombings that killed 202 people and last year’s JW Marriott Hotel attack in Jakarta that killed 12.

If convicted, Bashir could be sentenced to death.

Prosecutors have presented at least a dozen witnesses so far at the trial. None have directly implicated Bashir in a criminal activity.