Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Firebrand cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, whose conviction on terrorism charges was recently overturned, has canceled his plans to sue the government for wrongful imprisonment, his aide announced here Tuesday.
Fauzan Ansori, spokesman for the Ba'asyir-founded Indonesia Mujahidin Council (MMI), said the government had its hands full dealing with the disasters that have been plaguing the country.
He said for the same reason, the cleric will not demand compensation from the government for tarnishing his image by convicting him of involvement in the 2002 Bali bombing.
"(Ba'asyir) will not sue the police because he believes the matter will be settled on Judgment Day," Fauzan told journalists at the Supreme Court.
"After considering the big burden being faced by the government with disasters in many areas of the country, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir will not demand compensation. This will be (his) gift to the nation," he added.
Floods and landslides have killed more than 100 people in Aceh and North Sumatra and forced hundreds of thousands to flee, while a massive "mud volcano" in East Java has inundated six villages and turned 13,000 residents into refugees.
The Supreme Court last week overturned the terror conviction against Ba'asyir by lower courts and ordered the government to clear his name and compensate for the losses he suffered. The court did not explain how the government should rehabilitate his name.
The acquittal sparked outrage and disgust among families of Australian victims of the 2002 Bali blasts. Prime Minister John Howard said he was upset for the families of the 88 Australians who died in the explosions, but said Canberra could not change Thursday's ruling by the Indonesian court.
Ba'asyir had earlier said he was considering suing the National Police for building an "erroneous case" that had led to his imprisonment.
He had even said his team of lawyers were working on the details of the suit and calculating material and intangible losses suffered by Ba'asyir due to his 26-month imprisonment.
Ba'asyir urged the police to disband their antiterror squad, Detachment 88. "The squad cannot be controlled in the field. It only casts aspersions (against Muslim activists)," Fauzan said.
He noted that after the first Bali attack, more than 350 Muslim activists were accused of committing acts of terror.
Ba'asyir, Fauzan added, also asked the police not to curb "religious freedom." The cleric requested they stop questioning people who invited outspoken critics of Western countries to give public sermons.
Fauzan and other MMI leaders came to the Supreme Court to present a token of appreciation to the five justices who had overturned Ba'asyir's conviction. However, the judges refused to accept the so-called Justice Award, citing ethical reasons.