ON December 2 the Supreme Court issued a decree declaring that Abu Bakar Baasyirs period of detention would be extended. Ironically, Baasyirs period of detention had already expired two days beforehand, at midnight, November 30, 2003. Strictly speaking, Baasyir should have been released at that time. But the Supreme Court decree was issued retroactively in response to a request for appeal from Baasyirs prosecutors.

Baasyirs attorney, Mahendra D