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Freeing ailing JI leader Abu Bakar Bashir a flawed move?

By not insisting that he sign a pledge of loyalty to the state, Indonesia is setting dangerous precedent: Experts

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Rising pressure from those opposing Indonesia's move to free Abu Bakar Bashir looks to have forced President Joko Widodo to rethink his earlier decision to release the convicted terrorist leader.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto said at a hastily called press conference yesterday that Mr Joko has ordered his officials to take a more in-depth evaluation of the decision to grant Bashir an early release from his 15-year jail term.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 22, 2019, with the headline Freeing ailing JI leader Abu Bakar Bashir a flawed move?. Subscribe