Solo – A firebrand Indonesian cleric who served time for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings has reportedly called Islamic extremists "misguided" holy warriors, as Australia's prime minister called for him to be monitored.
Abu Bakar Bashir returned to the Muslim boarding school he founded in Central Java's Solo late Wednesday after he was released from his maximum-security prison in Jakarta at the end of a nearly 26-month term.
Speaking to reporters amid a throng of ardent supporters who greeted him at the Al-Mukmin school, Bashir said alleged terror chief Noordin Mohammad Top and his followers should revise their violent methods.
"I would say that they are misguided mujahideen (holy warriors). Fighting using bombs or weapons in a peaceful zone is forbidden," Bashir said according to the Detikcom online news agency.
"So I hope they will review their methods. Hopefully there will not be any more violence in the future. All this time they have chosen the wrong way," the alleged leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) regional extremist group said.
JI has been blamed for a string of deadly blasts in Indonesia. Nevertheless, the cleric reportedly said the militants deserved to be called holy warriors because their intention was to defend Islam. Bashir also urged Muslims to fight for Islam using peaceful means.
"Every time there's a bomb attack in this country, America cheers. They are more afraid of our peaceful struggle. It must be kept in mind that America's plot today is to create havoc within Islam," he was quoted as saying.
Bashir was to spend Thursday resting and overseeing teaching at his school, his students told reporters. No media were permitted inside the school.
Bashir's release provoked strong criticism from both Australia, which lost 88 of its nationals in the Bali attacks which killed 202 people, and the United States.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Thursday he had written to Indonesia's president urging him to monitor Bashir's activities and noted there was "deep anger in the Australian community" at his release.
Howard told parliament his response to the release was "a reaction verging on hostility and disgust." He noted the UN Security Council had listed Bashir as a terrorist and that he was subject to an assets freeze, restricted international travel and a ban on accessing arms.
"We would hope that the Indonesian government would fully adhere to and support the implementation of its obligations under that part of the Security Council's resolution," Howard told parliament.
In Jakarta national deputy police spokesman Anton Bahrul Alam said Bashir's sermons at his boarding school would be monitored but police would not be doing the job.
"Mr. Bashir's sermons will be observed in a form of monitoring. It can be done by anyone, it can be done by the public there, it can be done by neighbourhood chiefs," Alam told reporters. "If his sermons are aligned with God's path, then go ahead," he said, adding that police would not be sent to the school.
Bashir, 68, was originally sentenced to 30 months for his role in a "sinister conspiracy" that led to the Bali bombings. He was cleared of terrorism charges and his sentence cut in August 2005 as part of regular remissions handed to prisoners.
Analysts here have said they did not believe Bashir holds the influence he once did over militants in Indonesia, with others – such as fugitive Malaysian national Noordin – emerging as major security threats.
Separately, the UN's food agency said Thursday it had cancelled a contract to deliver earthquake aid with an organisation because it was chaired by Bashir.