JEMMAH ISLAMIYAH EMIR ABU BAKAR BA'ASYIR RELEASED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 007555

SIPDIS

TERREP
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/IET AND S/CT
DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, AAG SWARTZ
FBI FOR ETTIU/SSA ROTH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS KISL ASEC AS ID
SUBJECT: JEMMAH ISLAMIYAH EMIR ABU BAKAR BA'ASYIR RELEASED
FROM PRISON

REF: A. JAKARTA 7398 WHAT'S NEXT FOR ABB JI?

B. JAKARTA 05040 PROSECUTORS UNFAZED BY TESTIMONY

C. 04 JAKARTA 3590

Classified By: Political Officer Tim Hefner For Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the spiritual leader of Jemaah
Islamiyah, left Cipinang Penitentiary a free man June 14 at
the conclusion of his 25 1/2 month sentence. Family, defense
attorneys, and a few hundred supports greeted the cleric in a
generally muted public response. Ba'asyir gave a short
speech upon exiting the prison and departed the prison by
motorcade. Ba'asyir, who plans to return to his Al Mukmin
"Ngruki" pesantren in Solo, Central Java, has already begun
work with his media spin doctors on a public campaign to
rehabilitate his image. End Summary.

BA'ASYIR A FREE MAN
--------------


2. (U) Officials at Cipinang Penitentiary released Abu Bakar
Ba'asyir on June 14 at 0715 at the conclusion of his 25 1/2
month sentence (ref A). Two of Ba'asyir's children, Abdul
Rosyid and Rasyid Ridho, joined by his Muslim Defense Team
(TPM) lawyers, greeted him at the prison doors. According to
press reports, less than 300 people appeared at Cipinang to
greet Ba'asyir, with the majority coming from Majelis
Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI),the political wing of the Jemaah
Islamiyah terrorist organization. Dressed in long white
robes and wearing vests with "Mujahiddin" written on the
back, MMI members lead Ba'asyir supporters from the Islamic
Defenders Front (FPI) and Ba'asyir's Al Mukmin "Ngruki"
pesantren in shouts of "Allahu Akbar." No media outlets
reported any religious leaders joining Ba'asyir's supporters
despite previous statements to the press by MMI's Fauzan
Al-Ansyari (ref A). The press had anticipated that the
Association of Islamic Students (HMI) would join MMI, but no
media reported HMI's presence today.


ABB AND HIS TEAM: AS MEDIA SAVY AS EVER
--------------


3. (U) Upon exiting the prison, Ba'asyir gave a five-minute
speech to his followers. Ba'asyir reportedly stated "I give
thanks to Allah, to my attorneys, my defenders who have
enthusiastically defended me throughout the judicial process.
I will continue to struggle to uphold the laws of Islam."
Ba'asyir then praised the power of Islam to save Indonesia
and all mankind and hailed Islamic law as the law of the
land. He also appealed to his supporters to follow the words
of Allah and Allah's apostles rather than to follow their own
beliefs. He ended his mini-sermon with a verse from the
Quran. Late on June 13, prison officials publicly announced
they would release Ba'asyir at 0800 on June 14. When asked
by reporters why they moved up the release time, one official
admitted concerns over the gathering supporters in front of
Cipinang Penitentiary. A spokesperson for Ba'asyir's defense
team told the press Ba'asyir did not want his supporters to
cause a traffic jam for those on their morning commute and
requested the earlier release.


4. (C) Ba'asyir departed in a six-vehicle caravan that
included two police cars. MMI's Al-Ansyari told the media
that he had requested police protection for Ba'asyir for the
duration of the trip back to Solo. A spokesperson from
Ba'asyir's "Ngruki" pesantren confirmed that Ba'asyir would
return there to resume teaching. International Crisis
Group's JI expert Sidney Jones told us that MMI would charge
journalists 600,000 Rp (approximately 65USD) to ride on the
bus with Ba'asyir from Jakarta to Solo. TPM said Ba'asyir
would receive a full medical examination in Solo. According
to Embassy sources, Ba'asyir joined his "Muslim Defense Team"
(TPM) lawyers in their office two hours after departing the
prison. Senior TPM lawyer Mahendradatta told the press TPM
would continue with the judicial review process to
rehabilitate Ba'asyir's name (ref B).

JAKARTA 00007555 002 OF 002



MONITORING BA'ASYIR
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5. (U) Police stated they would observe Ba'asyir's
activities, but they provided the press few details and
suggested that society as a whole and local neighborhood
organizations might take on this responsibility. DPR Speaker
Agung Laksono told the press that any supervision of Ba'asyir
or MMI must follow the law and must not discriminate against
any organization. In a media interview, Australian Foreign
Minister reiterated the GOI's responsibilities to freeze
Ba'asyir's financial assets and prohibit his international
travel because of his status as UNSC 1267 designee.


AMSELEM