Abu Bakar Ba'asyir

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (also Abu Bakar Bashir) was born in Jombang, East Java in August 17, 1938. He was a student of Gontor Islamic boarding school in Ponorogo, graduating in 1959, before entering Al-Irsyad University, in Solo, Central Java and graduating in 1963.

After time as an activist for the Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (Indonesian: "Islamic Student Association") in Solo, he was elected secretary of Al-Irsyad Youth Organization, and then president of Indonesian Islamic Youth Movement (GPII) (1961), and Indonesian Student Da'wah Organization (LDMI).

In 1972, Bashir founded Al-Mukmin boarding school with friends Abdullah Sungkar, Yoyo Roswadi, Abdul Qohar H. Daeng Matase and Abdllah Baraja. Al-Mukmin is located in Ngruki, near Solo, Central Java. Initially, Al-Mukmin's activities were limited to religious discussion after only short Islamic forum after dhuhr (mid-day prayer). Following increasing interest, the founders expanded Al-Mukmin into madrasah (Islamic school) and then to pesantren (Islamic boarding school).

In 1983, during president of Indonesia Suharto's new order, Bashir and Sungkar were arrested allegedly for urging sharia, non-recognition of the Indonesian national ideology pancasila which in part promotes religious pluralism, and their school refusal to salute the Indonesian Flag which they considered to be shrik (Islamic defined polytheism).

Furthermore, they were accused of supporting separatist organizations. He appealed. He was also linked to the bomb attack on the Buddhist monument Borobudur in 1985 but fled to Malaysia. In Malaysia, and also Singapore he was involved in religious teaching. USA alleged that during this period he became involved with jamaah Islamiyah (not prooved) an alleged militant Islamist group.

Following the 1998 reformation and resignation of Suharto, Bashir returned to Indonesia (in 1999), joined the Indonesian Mujahedeen Council, and renewed his call for sharia.