Tim Johnston (left), Times correspondent in Jakarta, explains why radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir will only serve 30 months for his part in the 2002 Bali bombing

"The prosecution case was clearly inept and reflects the fact that Indonesia only ceased to be a dictatorship six years ago. Until then the courts did pretty much what the Government told them to. In the end just one witness testified against Bashir, reflecting his respected standing among militants.

"There is strong circumstantial evidence against him but it is not clear that he was guilty of the crimes he was charged with and they could not all be proved. He was in prison for 10 months before the Marriott hotel bombing and it is hard to demonstrate he was connected with that attack.

"Many Indonesians were suspicious of Bashir's arrest, but after the subsequent Marriott and Australian embassy bombings his support has waned somewhat.

"What is clear is that this sentence satisfies absolutely no one. If he did in fact order the Bali bombing, then 30 months is a woefully inadequate considering the number of people who were slaughtered. And if he was not responsible, then an innocent man is being jailed.

"The most vocal critic of the 30-month sentence given to Bashir is Australia. Indonesia always takes any criticism from Australia badly and you could almost hear the diplomats wincing when Alexander Downer, the foreign minister, called the sentence disappointing.

"An appeal must be lodged within 30 days and Bashir's lawyers have said that they will do so. The authorities have indicated that it will be heard within six months.

"Despite what some in the Western world think, Indonesia actually has a very good record of taking terror very seriously and putting suspects behind bars. But it first puts suspects through open and transparent trials so justice is seen to be done."

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