Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has been released after 25 months in jail for the role he played in the deadly 2002 Bali bombings.
Abu Bakar Bashir waves to supporters who surround him as he walks out of Cipinang prison, Wednesday
Hundreds of supporters shouted "God is great" outside Jakarta's Cipinang prison early Wednesday while police blew whistles to clear the way as Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir walks out of jail.
Bashir spoke briefly to the crowd.
He promised to continue his fight to "uphold Islamic sharia" and said this law was needed to help Indonesia, which is now shrouded "in darkness."
The 68-year-old was convicted two years ago of being part of a conspiracy behind the 2002 bombings in Bali that killed 202 people.
Bashir is accused of being the spiritual leader of the Southeast Asian group Jemaah Islamiyah, which is linked to the al Qaida terror network.
J.I. has been blamed for a series of terrorist bombings in Indonesia over the past several years. Several J.I. leaders convicted in the attacks attended an Islamic boarding school Bashir founded.
Bashir, a hard-line Islamist, was originally sentenced to 30 months in jail. The sentence was cut last year as part of regular remissions given to prisoners to mark Indonesia's Independence Day.
The United States and Australia - which lost 88 citizens in the Bali attack - have expressed disappointment over what they view as too lenient a jail term.
Bashir denies any wrongdoing, saying J.I. does not exist. Anti-terrorism experts have said the group wants to create an Islamic state across much of Southeast Asia.
Indonesia has arrested more than 200 people, sentencing three to death, for the roles they played in terrorist attacks in the country.
But none of the trials has produced evidence linking Bashir directly to the preparation or execution of terrorist attacks in Indonesia. Many security experts say he has little operational role in J.I.
Bashir's lawyer, Adnan Wirawan, says the cleric simply wants to spend his remaining years teaching at his school.
"He's going to spend the remaining time of his life to do good for others," he said. "To preach and to teach in his school that he was a founder of … he's going to prove that he's a man of peace, that he does not believe in violence to achieve his goals."
After he walked out of prison, Bashir was whisked away by car for the 600-kilometer drive to his home in Solo in West Java, where he will undergo a medical check-up before he returns to his school.
, 68, the accused spiritual leader of  a  organisation with links to Al-Qaeda has been released from an Indonesian prison after serving his 25 month sentence.

Bashir was convicted for conspiracy, in connection with the . Bashir was accused of playing a pivotal role in planning the attack which killed 202 people, 88 of whom were from Australia. The Judges ruled that he was not involved in the attacks, but had approved of it. 

Bashir has denied having links to JI or any other militant organisation and has denied all charges against him. He has also condemned the Bali bombing as a "brutal act".

As Bashir was released from  prison in Jakarta, he was greeted by hundreds of supporters who yelled, "God is great". Bashir gave a brief address to his supporters, thanking  for his freedom, vowing to uphold "Islamic sharia (law)" and said Indonesia needed to the law and was shrouded "in darkness".

The Australian government has expressed its disappointment at the release of Mr Bashir. Speaking before the Australian House of Representatives,  John Howard said "I want them (the Indonesian government) to understand from me, on behalf of the Government, how extremely disappointed, even distressed, millions of Australians will be at the release of Abu Bakar Bashir," he said.

"Many Australians will see that particular outcome, although a product of the Indonesian justice system, as an extremely disappointing result."

Australia's foreign minister,  assured the families of those killed in the attacks that the government shares their pain. "We ... accept the decisions of the Indonesian courts, but we are deeply disappointed with that release today and we share the pain with those families that suffered so much as a result of the Bali bombing," Mr Downer said.

The United States has also expressed dismay at Bashir's release. Speaking in Jakarta, US embassy spokesman Max Kwak said, "we were deeply disappointed that a person convicted of a sinister conspiracy was given such a short prison sentence".

Muhammad Hikam, an Indonesian politician claimed Bashir would have got a longer term if Indonesia was given access to  by the United States who have him imprisoned. Hambali is believed to be mastermind of the Bali bombings and is alleged to have links to Bashir.