Court Drops Bali Bomb Charges

Indonesian judges yesterday dismissed charges relating to the 2002 Bali bombing against a militant Islamist even though he admitted a key role in the attack, which killed 202 people.

Last month's constitutional court ruled it unconstitutional to prosecute the plotters for terrorism because the relevant laws did not exist at the time of the atrocity.

Lawyers for the 32 men convicted under the anti-terrorism law said yesterday's decision would strengthen their case even though the government has said the verdicts would stand.

The judges, in the same ruling, convicted Idris of a minor role in the August 2003 attack on the Marriott hotel in Jakarta which killed 12 people. He was jailed for 10 years.

Idris admitted attending most of the planning meetings before the Bali attacks and helping choose and reconnoitre the targets.

Police said yesterday prosecutors had approved their dossier of charges against the alleged head of the terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Bakar Ba'aysir.