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The terror trial of Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir continues today. Witnesses took the stand, detailing Bashir's militant training camp... which has ties to the al-Qaeda terrorist network.
Witnesses continued to testify through video teleconference in a terror trial of Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir in a South Jakarta court on Monday.
They say they fear intimidation by the defendant.
Bashir is accused of leading regional Islamist network Jemaah Islamiyah, which is linked to al-Qaeda, and for funding a paramilitary training camp in western Aceh Province.
Six witnesses gave their testimonies from the police detention center in West Java Province.
The six men are Abu Bakar Bashir's followers and are also facing court proceedings related to the paramilitary camp in Aceh.
One of them denies his involvement in the military training in Aceh.
[Andriansyah, Witness]:
"I do not know and have never been told about that (military training in Aceh), so I do not have a role in that (military training in Aceh)."
Indonesian judges approved a request by 16 witnesses in the trial to testify by video teleconferencing due to security reasons.
[Abu Bakar Bashir, Defendant]:
"I'm sure that the witnesses are not pure, but they are under pressure."
The terror trial carries a maximum penalty of death, but analysts say the full penalty is unlikely to be imposed if he is convicted.
Bashir denies all the accusations, but defends the training camp in Aceh as a part of physical preparation for jihad - or holy war - which he describes as an order from God.
Previous attempts to convict Bashir failed as his followers withdrew their testimonies in court, but security analysts say this time prosecutors have enough evidence to jail him.
