Geoff Prosser (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Would the minister confirm that, today, Abu Bakar Bashir has been released from prison in Indonesia? What is the government’s reaction?

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Forrest and I appreciate his interest in raising this important issue. Abu Bakar Bashir was released from prison this morning. He had served a 25-month sentence for his role in the conspiracy to commit the 2002 Bali bombing. The Australian government made it clear at the time the sentence was handed down that we believed that the sentence was far too short. We were profoundly disappointed that the sentence was so short and, as a result, we are deeply disappointed with the release of Abu Bakar Bashir today.

The government know that this will cause a great deal of pain and concern to the families of the victims of the Bali bombing, and we share the concern of those people. Although it is true that the people who were specifically responsible for planting the Bali bombs have been caught—three of them having been sentenced to death and others having been sentenced to life imprisonment—the Indonesian court did find that Abu Bakar Bashir was involved in the conspiracy to commit this heinous crime. It is also important to note that Abu Bakar Bashir is said to be the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah, which is the organisation that was not just behind that Bali bombing but also behind a number of acts of terror in Indonesia. So we appreciated the conviction. We were very disappointed with the length of the sentence, and we are deeply disappointed that at the end of that sentence—not surprising, I suppose—Abu Bakar Bashir has been released.

In April this year, Abu Bakar Bashir was listed by the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Committee as a terrorist who is subject to international restrictions. Indonesia, as a member of the United Nations, is obliged to enforce those restrictions and those restrictions will severely limit any capacity Abu Bakar Bashir might have to commit harm. His financial assets will be frozen. Any funding for Bashir will be prohibited. He is not allowed to travel internationally and he is not allowed to have access to weapons or to any military equipment.

Indonesia does have a very strong record in fighting terrorism. It has captured and convicted over 160 terrorists. Three are on death row and four are serving life sentences. The mastermind behind the bomb-making of Jemaah Islamiah, Azahari, was killed in a raid last November. I think the Indonesians are doing a good job in closing in on Noordin Top, who is another one of the Jemaah Islamiah key leaders.

Having said all that, the Australian government cannot walk away from the fact that we are deeply disappointed that Abu Bakar Bashir has been released from prison. We of course accept the decisions of the Indonesian courts, but we are deeply disappointed with that release today and we share the pain with those families that suffered so much as a result of the Bali bombing.