Bashir, 82, who was never convicted of a direct role in the bombings, would enter a deradicalisation programme amid concerns over his continued influence in extremist circles, authorities said.
Bashir, who is regarded as the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah , a jihadist network with ties to al Qaeda, was imprisoned in 2011 for 15 years for his links to a militant training camp in Aceh province.Police and intelligence agencies say Bashir was linked to the 2002 Bali attacks and a 2003 attack on the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta, but he was never convicted of direct involvement and denied any ties.
Thiolina Marpaung, an Indonesian wounded in the 2002 attacks, said she wanted authorities to keep supervising Bashir.Bashir pledged allegiance to the militant group Islamic State in 2014 while in jail. Some Indonesians defended the release of the cleric, saying he had served his time and was a practising Muslim.
In the wake of the Bali attacks, Indonesia set up an elite anti-terrorist unit that weakened JI and resulted in scores of suspected militants being arrested or killed.
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