Bali bomb suspect admits ties to terrorist group in court

A KEY Bali bombing suspect admitted in court yesterday that he was the operational chief of the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, and said he knows Osama bin Laden “very well”.

Ali Ghufron, alias Mukhlas, testified at the treason trial of Abu Bakar Bashir, a Muslim cleric and the alleged spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiyah.

Mukhlas told a packed courtroom he took over as the operations chief after his predecessor, Riduan Isamuddin, alias Hambali, went into hiding.

“My followers chose me to replace Hambali after he left,” he said.Mukhlas was arrested last year for allegedly masterminding the October 12 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people. He is facing trial on terror charges for the attack, the deadliest since September 11, 2001.

During Mukhlas’ testimony, a judge asked him if he knows bin Laden, who allegedly orchestrated the September 11 attacks.

“I know him very well,” Mukhlas said, adding that bin Laden was not financially involved in the Bali bombing.

Officials say Jemaah Islamiyah is allied to bin Laden’s al-Qaida network and that its aim is to declare a pan-Islamic state across Southeast Asia.

Mukhlas was one of four key suspects in last year’s Bali bombings to testify yesterday at Bashir’s trial.Bashir, aged 64, is not accused of the Bali bombings. He is on trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow Indonesia’s government and is accused of ordering a series of church bombings in 2000 that killed 19 people. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Bashir flatly denied involvement with Jemaah Islamiyah, while his supporters in the packed courtroom repeatedly interrupted proceedings with cries of “Allah is great!”. Prosecutors had hoped the four witnesses would reveal their links to Bashir.