(14 Jun 2006) SHOTLIST
1. Crowd surrounding cleric Abu Bakar Bashir at entrance way as he is released, heavy media pack
2. Bashir supporters "Mujhadin" form a barrier around him, as he walks to freedom
3. Various of Bashir surrounded by people
4. SOUNDBITE: (Indonesian) Abu Bakar Bashir, militant cleric:
"I am thankful to Allah who has given me his blessing today, and taken away my burden all this time. I am truly thankful to Allah."
5. Cutaway of media pack
6. SOUNDBITE: (Indonesian) Abu Bakar Bashir, militant cleric:
7. "I ask all muslim to unite the islamic and strengthen the islamic brotherhood and work to establish the sharia law (islamic law)."
++AUDIO MUTE++
8. Bashir supporters, the Mujhadin stand with their back to camera, with "mujhadin" written across backs
9. Exterior of Jakarta's Cipinang prison
10. Various of Bashir supporters, with head scarfs and faces covered
11. People causing a commotion as Bashir leaves in vehicle
STORYLINE:
Authorities in Indonesia released the militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir on Wednesday in Jakarta, more than two years after he was imprisoned for conspiracy in the 2002 Bali bombings.
Bashir was greeted by jubilant supporters and mobbed by media and onlookers as walked to freedom.
The 68-year-old cleric, an alleged key leader of the al-Qaida-linked Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiyah, served 26 months for giving his blessing to the nightclub bombings, which killed 202 people, most of them foreign tourists.
About 150 of Bashir's supporters gathered at Jakarta's Cipinang prison for his release, which came about 45 minutes earlier than expected.
From the crushing hold of his followers, Bashir said he was "Thankful to Allah who has given me his blessing today, and taken away my burden all this time. I am truly thankful to Allah."
Bashir asked "all muslim to unite the islamic and strengthen the islamic brotherhood and work to establish the Sharia law (islamic law)."
The release raised concerns among Indonesian officials that he could energise the country's small, Islamic radical fringe.
A strident critic of the United States, Bashir is known for his fiery speeches.
Bashir, who has maintained his innocence, plans to return to the Islamic boarding school that he founded and retake his position at the head of his legal hardline Islamic organisation, the Council of Mujahedeen for Islamic Law Enforcement.
The US State Department also expressed deep disappointment about what it called Bashir's light sentence.
It was up to Indonesians and the Indonesian courts to interpret their own laws, it said.
Jemaah Islamiyah is accused of carrying out church bombings across Indonesia in 2000, the 2002 Bali bombings, attacks in the Indonesian capital in 2003 and 2004, and a triple suicide bombing on Bali last October.
The attacks together killed more than 260 people.
Bashir has little active support in Indonesia, where most Muslims follow a moderate form of the faith.
But some mainstream clerics and government officials have expressed sympathy for him, saying he is a victim of foreign meddling, and the media rarely dwell on his alleged Jemaah Islamiyah links.
No evidence has ever been presented linking him to the execution, preparation or commission of terrorist attacks, and most analysts agree he had little operational role within Jemaah Islamiyah.
He was arrested amid intense international pressure on Indonesia to crack down on militants.
Since then, it has arrested and convicted more than 150 terrorists, sentencing three to death.
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