Bashir visits death row Bali bombers

RADICAL Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has visited the three Bali bombers on death row in prison.Bashir, widely believed to be the spiritual head of South East Asian terror network Jemaah Islamiah (JI), said he wanted to boost the spirits of the three before they face the firing squad. He also warned Indonesia would suffer a big disaster if it went ahead with the executions. Bali bombers Amrozi, Bashir's former student Mukhlas and Imam Samudra are awaiting execution in Batu Prison on Nusakambangan Island, known as Indonesia's Alcatraz, off central Java. The trio played key roles in the 2002 Bali terrorist attacks, which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.

"I want to tell them to stay tough if they believe in what they are doing,'' Bashir told a press conference before visiting the trio. "I am worried there will be a huge disaster if Indonesia still wants to execute these three. "Because they three are mujahid (Islamic fighters). "Bashir visited the prison with 20 other religious figures from central and west Java, along with relatives of the trio. The radical cleric, who was jailed for 30 months for conspiracy over the Bali bombings but later cleared, urged Indonesian officials to ignore any demands from the United States or Australia.

"Indonesian officials must introspect before they follow the US and Australia's interests,'' he said. In the prison meeting room, the group shared laughs and jokes for three hours. During the meeting, Imam Samudra also showed Bashir a draft of his second book. His first published book was titled Me Against the Terrorist. Imam Samudra has asked the government to let him die in an Islamic way, by beheading, but the request is likely to be rejected. Bashir today said the firing squad was an acceptable means of execution, as well as beheading. In the past the sword had been required, but technology had evolved with the times, he said. The Bali bombings and several other deadly attacks have been blamed on militants from Jemaah Islamiah, of which Bashir was alleged to have been the spiritual leader and co-founder.

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