Abu Bakar Bashir’s son says Australians have ‘sick souls’ for questioning his father’s release

The son of Indonesian terrorist Abu Bakar Bashir, the alleged mastermind behind the Bali bombing, has lashed out at Australians.

The son of controversial Indonesian Islamic terrorist Abu Bakar Bashir has slammed Australians as having “sick souls” for fearing his father after his release from prison.

Bashir senior is the alleged mastermind behind the deadly 2002 Bali bombings that claimed 202 lives, including 88 Australians, and injured hundreds more.

On Friday the ageing terrorist was freed from jail in Java, having served three quarters of a 15-year sentence for his involvement in training camps for militant fighters in Indonesia’s home of Sharia Law, Aceh province.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the release of the fanatic as ‘gut-wrenching’ and ‘distressing’ for the hundreds of Aussie families whose entire lives have been scarred by the deadly attack on two Kuta nightclubs in 2002.

“Why do they worry about my father? This means that they are sick, their soul is sick. It means they are paranoid and are constantly fearful without any reason. They were worried when my father was in jail, now they are worried that he is free,” said Abdul Rochim, the 44-year-old son of Abu Bakar Bashir.

Abu Bakar Bashir, 82, once synonymous with militant Islam in the world's biggest Muslim majority nation and linked to the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings, waves as he arrives back in his hometown of Sukoharjo on January 8, after his release from prison. Picture: AFP

The 82-year-old convicted terrorist is listed with the United Nation’s Security Council’s index of international terrorists for his association with Al Qaeda, the Taliban and ISIL and for financing and facilitating bomb attacks and supplying arms to his terror group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), which he foundered in 1985.

The military-style JI intends to unite large swathes of Singapore, The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia as a single sovereign Islamic state.

A splinter cell — Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid — which Bashir created in 2008 is also designated as a terror group by the Australia, the UK, Canada, the United States, China and Japan.

“What do the Australians want? If I kill my father, they will still be afraid,” he said.

Firemen attempt to extinguish the blaze ignited by a bomb blast at the Sari nightclub on Kuta Beach, on the island of Bali in 2002. Picture: AP

Aerial view of the wreckage of the Sari night club & surrounding buildings are seen in this aerial view in Kuta in 2002.

“They hate us because they are not ready to accept the differences in our religions. They think they live in the world alone. They have to go to psychiatrist,” Abdul Rochim told News Corp.

Abu Bakar Bashir was rejected for parole in 2019 because he refused to declare loyalty to Indonesia’s rule of law and to disavow his deadly activities.

“Since beginning, my father has always asked people to return to perfect Islam. To surrender to Allah entirely. And my father is still like that, he has not changed.”

Bashir senior founded the Islamic school Al-Mumkin in Java in the 1970s; a college known as Indonesia’s ‘Ivy League’ school for JI terrorists. Graduates include Imam Samudra, Huda bin Adbul Haq and Amrozi — all of whom were executed in 2008 for their involvement in the horrific 2002 Bali bombing.

Abu Bakar Bashir with prison officials after he was freed after completing a 15 year prison term at the Gunung Sindur prison in Bogor, on the outskirts of Jakarta. Picture: AFP

The school also has the bomb maker Zulkarnaen, who was finally arrested last month for his alleged involvement in the 2002 attack, as inglorious alumni.

Bashir has always denied involvement in the 2002 Bali bombing and his conviction for it in 2005 was overturned on appeal. His son sings the same tune.

“The court quashed the conviction of my father over that bombing. Finally, the police linked him to helping with terrorist training camps. And it’s just ‘linked’,” he said

Abdul Rochim Bashir confirmed that his father will not return to preaching and that the old terrorist cannot climb the stairs in the family home that is set within the Al-Mumkin Islamic school ground along with 1600 students.

“There is no possibility that my father will return to teaching and preaching because the work is too heavy for him. He must even have someone carry him to get upstairs. He has not left the house since he was released and has been resting after the long journey from Bogor,” Bashir junior said.

Originally published as Abu Bakar Bashir’s son says Australians have ‘sick souls’ for questioning his father’s release