Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir in a 2004 photo. (File Photo)

JAKARTA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia released Muslim militant cleric Abu Bakar Ba'ashir on Wednesday, after serving 26 months injail for links to the 2002 Bali bombings.

    Wearing white skullcap and shawl, a smiling Ba'ashir left the Cipinang prison, East Jakarta, at 7:20 local time (0020 GMT), 40 minutes earlier than scheduled.

    Outside the prison, hundreds of his supporters from hard-line Muslim groups greeted him. Scores of police were on guard and security was tight, but the mass quickly dissipated once the cleric had left.

    The 68 year-old cleric, seen by the West as the spiritual head of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) regional militant network, was convicted of implicating in the Bali bombings in 2002 that killed over 200 people, most of them were Australian holidaymakers.

    Indonesian Security chief Minister said authority may take a surveillance on the cleric when needed aimed at maintaining security. Enditem