Indonesian Cleric Denies Heading Militant Group

In his first public comments since being arrested, an Indonesian preacher denied being a leader of a militant group linked to Al Qaeda and accused authorities of mistreating him.

The arrest of Mohammed Iqbal bin Abdul Rahman in the summer of 2001 was among the first by authorities in several Southeast Asian countries that exposed the group, Jemaah Islamiah, along with an alleged plot to blow up the U.S. Embassy and other targets in Singapore.

The cleric, in jail in Malaysia, said police had not produced any evidence to support claims that he was linked to the group. He said he was denied proper food and medication.