Jakarta , Indonesia ( CNN ) -- An Islamic cleric was arrested Monday for playing a key role in the establishment of a militant training camp in Indonesia 's Aceh region , authorities said . Abu Bakar Bashir -- a religious leader known for his anti-Western rhetoric -- has been arrested twice previously for his activities in connection with militant groups . He was detained early Monday in West Java and was later brought to the National Police Headquarters for further questioning . Authorities have strong evidence that Bashir played a role in establishing a terror cell and a militant training camp in Aceh province , said National Police spokesman Inspector General Edward Aritonang . Police raided that camp in February and arrested dozens of militants who were allegedly planning terror attacks in Indonesia similar to those that took place in Mumbai , India , in 2008 . Bashir knew about that camp , helped fund it and appointed religious teachers to provide the militants with spiritual guidance , officials said . He also allegedly appointed an extremist fugitive known as Dulmatin as the field commander . Dulmatin was killed in another police raid shortly afterward . In May , several members of a hardline organization Bashir founded -- the Jama'ah Ansharut Tauhid , or JAT -- were also arrested and charged with raising funds for the training camp . Following months of speculation on Bashir 's involvement , police said it 's clear he played a key role in setting up the terror sell that wanted to base itself in Aceh . Police also uncovered a new plot by a terror cell to launch fresh attacks on the national police headquarters and several unnamed hotels and embassies in Jakarta . This information came about after the arrests of four people over the weekend in West Java . And police said the terror cell put up a laboratory to test bombs and twice blew up explosives in a remote area in Sumedang , West Java . A French national allegedly supplied a car to the suspected terrorists to use for a car bomb , according to authorities . The French national is still at large . Bashir was first arrested after the Bali bombings in 2002 where more than 200 people were killed . At the time , he was the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah , whose stated goal is to create an Islamic state comprising Malaysia , Singapore , Indonesia and the southern Philippines . He was charged with rebellion , terrorism and immigration violations . Prosecutors convicted of him of immigration violations and rebellion , but the latter conviction dismissed on appeal . Bashir served 18 months in jail . Two years later , before his expected release in 2004 , Bashir was arrested again on charges of helping incite the August 2003 bombing of the Marriott hotel in Jakarta . He served two and a half years in jail and was released in June 2006 . In 2008 , Bashir established Jama'ah Ansharut Tauhid . `` I 'm sure the police have a very strong case . They would not arrest him for the third time otherwise , '' said terrorism expert Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group , a non-profit that works to prevent and resolve deadly conflict . `` It 's a mark of police confidence that they would go forward with this arrest , and attests to the weakening of the radical networks . But Abu Bakar Bashir 's influence has been declining . So , the fact that he 's been taken out of circulation again will not have a major impact one way or another on the security situation . ''
Police : Bashir funded and approved of a terror plot . Bashir is the one-time leader of Jemaah Islamiyah . He now heads another hardline group . Police raided the second group 's headquarters in May .