JURIST - Paper Chase: Indonesian high court rules anti-terror law cannot be applied retroactively

The Indonesian high court ruled Friday that an anti-terror law passed in the wake of the 2002 Bali bombings cannot be applied retroactively, though the court said that its ruling would not affect the convictions of those involved in the bombings. The anti-terror law was passed in 2003 and was used to prosecute 32 suspects in the bombings, which killed 202 people. Despite the Constitutional Court's decision that its ruling would not affect prior convictions, defense lawyers said they would use the ruling to appeal some of the convictions. The ruling also puts in jeopardy the prosecution of several other suspects in the attacks, including Jemaah Islamiah leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports that the Australian foreign minister has said that the convictions should stand despite the court ruling. BBC News has more.