Indonesia set to release alleged mastermind of 2002 Bali bombings

He was jailed in 2011 for his links to militant training camps in Aceh.

Jan. 5, 2021

Indonesia set to release alleged mastermind of 2002 Bali bombings

Abu Bakar Bashir, the 82-year-old radical cleric and alleged mastermind of the 2002 Bali bombings, is set to walk free later this week, the Indonesian government announced on January 4, 2021.

Considered the spiritual leader of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah (JI) network, Bashir is one of Indonesia's most notorious extremists.

His release date is set for January 8, 2021, the day he completes his prison sentence after being arrested in 2011 for having links to militant training camps in Indonesia's Aceh province.

It's believed that Bashir had plotted several attacks in Indonesia, with JI operatives receiving training in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the southern Philippines.

The Bali bombings of 2002 targeted the island's famously-popular night clubs, killing more than 200 people, most of them Australians. And a year later, an attack on the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta (also believed to be plotted by Bashir) killed 12 people.

But Bashir has denied any and all involvement with the Bali bombings.

The ruins of Sari Club and the surrounding area following the bombings. IMAGE: National Museum Australia

According to security analyst Ridlwan Habib, Bashir has grown physically weaker, a reflection of his age. But despite this, he still remains a highly-respected and revered figure among other extremists.

Habib thinks other extremists may associate their extremist activities with Bashir, using his notoriety to boost their credibility and gain traction.

“Bashir is a senior figure in Indonesia’s jihadist movement, and it’s not impossible that his big name could be used,” said Habib.

Bashir had previously been given a chance to walk free, when Indonesian President Joko Widodo had considered releasing the man based on health grounds.

But this plan had been scrapped due to Bashir's unwillingness to pledge allegiance to Indonesia's state ideology.