Terrorist Bashir jailed for 15 years for terrorist acts

On Monday Indonesia's top court upheld a 15-year jail term against Islamist militant Abu Bakar Bashir for terrorist acts; reversing an earlier decision to slash the sentence to nine years.

Indonesia's top court has upheld a 15-year jail term against Islamist militant Abu Bakar Bashir for terrorist acts, reversing an earlier decision to slash the sentence to nine years.

Bashir is regarded as a spiritual leader of militant Islam in Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim country -- and is an outspoken supporter of Al-Qaeda-style jihad, but the 73-year-old has always denied being a terrorist.
In June last year a lower court sentenced him to 15 years in jail, but upon appeal the High Court slashed it to nine, citing lack of evidence and old age."Abu Bakar Bashir is proven to be guilty officially and convincingly of committing terrorist acts," the Supreme Court said in its ruling, which is final.

Bangkok explosions linked to the New Delhi attack

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, an Iranian man carrying explosives blow his own legs and wounded four other people in two blasts in Bangkok, Thai authorities said. A third blast took place in a nearby house.
Bangkok has been on the watch for a terror attack since police last month charged a Lebanese man suspected of planning a strike following a US warning that tourist areas might be target.

"Yesterday's incident was caused by current international tensions in world politics," National Security Council Secretary General Wichean Potephosree told a news conference.National Security Council chief Wichean Potephosree said that, the authorities are investigating the possible targets and if there was any link between Tuesday's explosions in Bangkok and one a day before New Delhi — an attack Israel blamed on Iran. Authorities say it's unclear whether the Bangkok explosions were linked to the New Delhi attack.