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Indonesia's Supreme Court has overturned a guilty verdict against Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir for conspiracy in the deadly 2002 Bali bombings, a court spokesman said on Thursday.
Some foreign governments accuse the cleric of having led a regional extremist group and the move is likely to anger countries such as Australia, which lost 88 nationals in the bomb attacks on nightclubs on the Indonesian resort island.
Bashir was released in June after completing a 30-month jail sentence for being part of a conspiracy behind the bombings.
The Supreme Court, in response to an appeal by Bashir challenging the verdict, ruled that the cleric was not guilty of that crime.
"It has been been granted. He was not proven guilty. Of the 30 witnesses presented during his trial, none confirmed that Bashir was involved in the Bali bombings," said Supreme Court spokesman Joko Upoyo.
The Antara state news agency quoted the chief judge on the panel examining the case, German Hoediarto, as saying the court had ordered that Bashir's name be rehabilitated.
Bashir reacted calmly to the verdict, his lawyer Mahendradatta told Antara.
"His tone was calm when he reacted to the decision," he said.
Western and regional intelligence officials say Bashir was the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah, a Southeast Asian extremist group blamed for the Bali bombings and a string of other deadly attacks in Indonesia in recent years.
The Bali blasts killed at least 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
Western nations, especially Australia, had previously protested against what they regarded as too lenient treatment of the frail-looking but sharp-tongued cleric.
White-bearded and bespectacled, Bashir has consistently denied any connection to that or other attacks blamed on Jemaah Islamiah.
I dont agree, thats all ill say on the matter.
He was convicted, i never thought id actually see in the paper that he was freed
Some foreign governments accuse the cleric of having led a regional extremist group and the move is likely to anger countries such as Australia, which lost 88 nationals in the bomb attacks on nightclubs on the Indonesian resort island.
Bashir was released in June after completing a 30-month jail sentence for being part of a conspiracy behind the bombings.
The Supreme Court, in response to an appeal by Bashir challenging the verdict, ruled that the cleric was not guilty of that crime.
"It has been been granted. He was not proven guilty. Of the 30 witnesses presented during his trial, none confirmed that Bashir was involved in the Bali bombings," said Supreme Court spokesman Joko Upoyo.
The Antara state news agency quoted the chief judge on the panel examining the case, German Hoediarto, as saying the court had ordered that Bashir's name be rehabilitated.
Bashir reacted calmly to the verdict, his lawyer Mahendradatta told Antara.
"His tone was calm when he reacted to the decision," he said.
Western and regional intelligence officials say Bashir was the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah, a Southeast Asian extremist group blamed for the Bali bombings and a string of other deadly attacks in Indonesia in recent years.
The Bali blasts killed at least 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
Western nations, especially Australia, had previously protested against what they regarded as too lenient treatment of the frail-looking but sharp-tongued cleric.
White-bearded and bespectacled, Bashir has consistently denied any connection to that or other attacks blamed on Jemaah Islamiah.
I dont agree, thats all ill say on the matter.
He was convicted, i never thought id actually see in the paper that he was freed
