AS the crowd gathered in the courtyard in front of Bireuen's Great Mosque in Aceh, a voice on a loudspeaker boomed: "Calling prisoner Zakaria bin Yusuf…" Moments later, a slender man in a white robe climbed the 36-meter-square podium. A large crowd of men, women and even children looked on as the prisoner prepared to receive his punishment.

At 60 years of age, Zakaria stood before the audience with his eyes downcast. Al