Prosecutors seek eight years for accused terror leader

Prosecutors demanded that militant Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir be jailed for eight years today for his alleged role in a string of deadly bombings.

Bashir, the alleged leader of the al-Qaida-linked terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, is charged with inspiring his followers to carry out the Bali and JW Marriott hotel bombings. More than 20 young Britons died in the Bali attacks.

Jemaah Islamiyah is blamed for a series of other attacks across the region as well.

Bashir has denied any role, saying they ran counter to his principles.

Since the trial started in the capital Jakarta in November, prosecutors have struggled to prove Bashir is a terrorist. Only one witness testified that he was the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, while most of the witnesses failed to link the cleric to either the Bali or Marriott bombings, which killed a total of 214 people.

The prosecutors’ weak case is likely to have prompted them to seek a lighter penalty than the maximum death sentence.

Bashir says he is being prosecuted for his critical views of the United States.

Washington and Australia have publicly accused Bashir of being a key terror leader.