'I Really Think This Man Is an Idiot'

No argument here.

INDONESIAN cleric Abu Bakar Bashir is a weasel and a coward, the father of a victim of the Bali bombings said today.

Victorian David "Spike" Stewart was reacting to recent reports that Bashir has called on Muslims to beat up Australian tourists in Indonesia.

"I really think this man is an idiot," Mr Stewart told Channel 9 this morning.

Bashir was recorded making his speech to 300 villagers about five months ago likening non-Muslims to "worms, maggots and snakes".

"The Muslims themselves have to do something about this man," Mr Stewart said.

Good luck with that.

Here's what got things going.

A video showing Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir inciting violence against Australian tourists has been made public.

The footage was taken at a sermon given by Bashir to about 300 villagers in East Java in October last year and was filmed by a Darwin-based university researcher.

In the video, Bashir urges those in the village to beat up tourists that disrespect Islamic ways, saying, "If there are infidels here, then beat them up. Do not tolerate them".

Could you imagine the hysteria if the roles were reversed?

I'm sure you can.

More here and here.

Bashir was convicted of conspiracy over the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 88 Australians, and served 26 months in prison.

Originally sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for his role, his jail term was cut by 4 months and 15 days as part of the tradition of remissions for Indonesia's Independence Day.