The terrorism trial of Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was halted abruptly Tuesday as his supporters tried to attack a witness testifying against the alleged leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah extremist group.
| "Guilty. String 'im up. Next case." |
The row erupted as Bashir's lawyers scolded Mohammad Nasir Abbas, a former key member of Jemaah Islamiyah, for repeatedly replying "no comment" as they cross-examined his claims the cleric was now the group's leader. Police came to the rescue of Abbas, a Malaysian who served 10 months in prison in Indonesia for immigration offences, as Bashir's supporters tried to grab him from the witness stand, prompting judges hearing the case to flee the court. Tempers flared after Abbas earlier accused Bashir of leading Jemaah Islamiyah -- a valuable testimony for prosecutors struggling to link him to the Southeast Asian extremist group believed to have ties to al-Qaeda. |