Stuart Henry (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. What is the government’s reaction to the release of Abu Bakar Bashir? Has the government communicated its views on this matter to the Indonesian government?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Hasluck for his question. Can I say again to the House what I said yesterday: the government, and I am sure the great majority of the people of Australia, greeted the news of the release of Abu Bakar Bashir not only with disappointment but also with a reaction verging on hostility and disgust. His release and the inflammatory statements that he has made in support of extremism since he has been released have been deeply offensive, especially to the families of the men and women of this country who died in the Bali attack in October of 2002.

The honourable member for Hasluck asks me what action the government has taken to communicate its views to the Indonesian government. I can inform the House that this morning I wrote to the Indonesian President, using the words that I have just used to describe the reaction of the Australian people to Abu Bakar Bashir’s release. I went on to say that, whilst fully respecting and recognising the adherence to due process in the Indonesian court system, the Indonesian government should understand the deep anger in the Australian community and our sense of concern about what has happened.

I also said in that letter to the Indonesian President that it was important that the Indonesian government monitor very closely the activities of Mr Bashir and implement fully the obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1264. As the House would be aware, I said to the President that Mr Bashir’s name had been added to a list of terrorists subject to a range of international restrictions under this resolution, including an assets freeze, restrictions on international travel and access to arms. We would hope that the Indonesian government would fully adhere to and support the implementation of its obligations under that part of the UN Security Council’s resolution.

The Australian government remains strongly committed to working closely with the Indonesian government in fighting terrorism, and I place on record again the deep appreciation of the Australian people for the excellent work done by the Indonesian police in the wake of the Bali attack. The reality is of course that, of those directly involved in that attack, so many of them are being brought to justice. A number are awaiting the imposition of the death penalty and others have been sentenced to very long terms of imprisonment. So in relation to the people who actually carried out the attack, Indonesian justice has been effective, it has been diligent and it has been comprehensive. But that does not in any way relieve the sense of anger and concern in our community about Bashir’s release, and I have conveyed those concerns to the President. I might add that our charge d’affaires in Jakarta has personally spoken this morning to the Indonesian foreign minister, Dr Wirajuda, to reinforce the concern felt by the Australian community. For the information of the House, I table a copy of my letter to the President of Indonesia.