A court in Indonesia has sentenced Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir to four years in prison after finding him guilty of taking part in acts of treason.
The 65-year-old has been on trial for allegedly trying to overthrow the government and install an Islamic state in its place. Judges said there was not enough evidence to prove he led the plot. Bashir plans to appeal the decision.
Earlier, judges ruled there was no proof that Bashir was the leader of militant network Jemaah Islamiah, an organisation he denies even exists. Analysts believe the mixed conclusions from the courtroom will disappoint the government, which is under pressure to get tough on radicals.
But it is likely to boost confidence in the Indonesian justice system, with the series of charges against Bashir dealt with according to the letter of the law. Jemaah Islamiah, which is claimed to have links to al-Qaeda, is widely suspected to have been behind the Bali bombings last October that killed more than 202 people, mainly foreigners.
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Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir speaks in a Jakarta courtroom before being sentenced September 2, 2003. (Beawiharta/Reuters)