JAKARTA, Dec 21: The terrorism trial of Indonesian leader Abu Bakar Bashir was halted abruptly on Tuesday as his supporters tried to attack a witness testifying against the alleged leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah.

The row erupted as Abu Bakar Bashir's lawyers scolded Mohammad Nasir Abbas, a former key member of Jemaah Islamiyah, for repeatedly replying "no comment" as they cross-examined his claims Bashir was now the group's leader.

Police came to the rescue of Nasir Abbas, a Malaysian who served 10 months in prison in Indonesia for immigration offences, as Bashir's supporters tried to grab him from the witness stand, prompting judges hearing the case to flee the court.

Tempers flared after Mr Abbas earlier accused Mr Bashir of leading Jemaah Islamiyah - a valuable testimony for prosecutors struggling to link him to the Southeast Asian extremist group believed to have ties to Al Qaeda.

Mr Bashir is accused of inciting followers to carry out the Oct 2002 Bali bombings in which 202 people died and an attack last year on the Jakarta Marriott hotel that left 12 dead.

If found guilty he could be sentenced to death. So far a string of star prosecution witnesses, all convicted terrorists, have denied Bashir's involvement in Jemaah Islamiyah, which is blamed for the Bali and Marriott attacks and bombing at the Australian embassy in Jakarta.

But Mr Abbas, who is believed to be under police witness protection in Indonesia, said he had been told about Mr Bashir's appointment by fellow key militant Hambali while they were both at a training camp in the Philippines.

He said he had believed Hambali's statement and passed it on to another member of the organization, Imron Baehaqi, who last week told the same court he had no knowledge the religious teacher was head of Jemaah Islamiyah.

Mr Bashir's defence lawyers accused Mr Abbas of making inconsistent statements, but were stonewalled by the witness who repeatedly replied "no comment", prompting the fracas. Five other witnesses were scheduled to make an appearance at Bashir's trial on Tuesday, but three declined to attend. -AFP