NO sooner had the presiding judge rapped his gavel than the courtroom was overwhelmed by noise. “It is against Islamic law to accept this ruling. I reject it and this ruling is despotic,” said Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, 66, to the panel of judges during the hearing when a verdict on his case was passed last week. Hundreds of pesantren (Islamic boarding school) students vociferously chanted “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,” (God