Cleric's Terror Trial Begins in Indonesia
Abu Bakar Bashir, the militant Islamic cleric accused by the United States of being a key terror leader in Southeast Asia, went on trial Thursday accused of heading the al-Qaida-link group behind the 2002 Bali bombings.Around 70 supporters shouted “God is great” when the 66-year-old cleric arrived at court wearing white Islamic robes and a prayer cap. The trial is the second time in two years the frail cleric has faced terror charges. The United States and other foreign governments accuse Bashir of heading the al-Qaida-linked terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah, and his trial is seen as a key test of the willingness of secular Indonesia to crack down on high-profile militants in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.Full Story