As the noose tightens around the alleged masterminds of the Jemaah Islamiyah terror network, Jakarta is coming under increasing pressure to close one of its most influential Islamic schools. The Al Mukim Islamic school in Solo in Central Java is headed by detained Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir. And the school's alumni reads like a terrorists who's who.

Presenter/Interviewer: Kanaha Sabapathy

Speakers: Wahyuddin, the headmaster of the Al Mukim Islamic school in Solo; Abu Bakar Bashir

Sabapathy: Indonesia has some 14,000 Islamic boarding schools or "pesantrens" ... and as in most developing Muslim nations many perform a valuable role in society ... providing education, albeit heavily weighted in Islamic studies, for the rural poor.

But the Al Mukim Islamic school in Ngruki is different. Until his detention Abu Bakar Bashir, the alleged spiritual leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah, the shadowy network blamed for both the Bali bombings and the Marriott hotel attack, was based here.

Founded in the mid 1970s by cleric Abu Bakar Bashir ... it's believed the pesantren in Ngruki has over the years developed into a militant institution providing dozens of recruits for Jemaah Islamiyah. It's also alleged that the school has links to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeida group.

Following the Bali bombings last October, Jakarta was under pressure to close the school but did not act after an outcry from Muslim groups. Now with claims that another of its graduate, Asmar Latin Sani, is the suicide bomber of the Marriott hotel, the demand is back for the closure of the school.

But the headmaster of the school Mr Wahyuddin says there's no reason to close it.

Wahyuddin: "There is no reason for government or for anyone to close our school because we don't do any harm to other people. We teach them how to be a good person, how to be good people. I don't believe that the Marriott bombing there is relation between the bombing and my school. We don't teach these kinds of acts here because Islam is peaceful. So I don't exactly believe that it is done by our students before."

Sabapathy: The school currently houses some 2000 students, both boys and girls, and according to Mr Wahyuddin the curriculum of the school, while weighted in favour of Islamic studies does also adopt the curriculum of state schools, including activites like martial art.

Wahyuddin: "The curriculum is combined between the knowledge and Islamic teachings, because it's an Islamic body school, also the government curriculum is and secondary high school or the elementary high school, we follow the curriculum of the government."

Sabapathy: Asked if the school does teach or instill into its students a hatred for the west .... Mr Wahyuddin denied this saying that even Abu Bakar Bashir himself had always taught love and tolerance.

Wahyuddin: Mr Abu Bakar always teached the people that everyone has to follow the 'lal' because this is the truth.

Sabapathy: This however was not the case when Asia Pacific interviewed Mr Bashir last August at the school. Praising Osama bin Laden Mr Bashir was scathing of the both the American and Indonesian governments, and the Jews.

Bashir: "I hate the American government but not the American people because they are being manipulated by Jews to fight against Islam. It is the duty of Muslims to hate America because they are launching an anti-Muslim crusade right now. This has been announced by President Bush himself. So as long as the American government cooperates with Jews to fight us, it is necessary on all Muslims to hate America, to fight back."

"I very much hate the attitude of Megawati's government because it is a secular government, the secular category includes Jews and non-believers. The President is closer to Jews and non-believers than she is to Islam, although she is outwardly a Muslim she is stupid and does not understand Islam properly."

Sabapathy: Meanwhile Mr Wahyuddin is distancing the school from the activities of its graduates, he says as a teacher and headmaster he encourages his students to continue their education and to do good by all. But he says what they do after leaving school is the responsibility of the parents.

Wahyuddin: "After they graduate from our school this is not my responsibility, I give them back to their parents, it's up to the parents. There's no relation institutionally between them and us in the pesantren."