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Indonesian court rejects cleric's libel suit against Singapore
An Indonesian court has rejected a libel suit brought by a militant Muslim cleric against the Singapore government for accusing him of links to international terrorism.
The suit, filed by Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, was rejected due to its "obscurity" and because the Singapore embassy has diplomatic immunity, said Judge Zuber Jayadi.
Ba'asyir filed the suit against the embassy over remarks made by Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew and over an embassy press release.
Last February Mr Lee said leaders of regional extremist cells were still at large in Indonesia and the press release identified Ba'asyir as one of them.
Ba'asyir has denied any terrorist links and the claim sparked protests and demonstrations in Jakarta.
Some 600 members of the militant Front for the Defenders of Islam and other Muslim groups attended the hearing at South Jakarta district court. They booed the decision but no incidents were reported.
About 100 later staged a brief protest outside the Singapore embassy.
16/05/2002 21:36:31 | ABC Radio Australia News
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