JAKARTA, Jan 13 - A Singaporean man charged with planning bomb attacks in Indonesia met al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and taught members of militant group Jemaah Islamiah to make bombs, an Indonesian court heard on Tuesday.

Mohammad Hasan bin Saynudin, 35, was one of 10 men arrested in Palembang, in South Sumatra, last year and charged under Indonesia's anti-terrorism law with plotting to kill three priests, a Christian school teacher, and to blow up a cafe.

Jemaah Islamiah carried out several deadly attacks in Indonesia, including the 2002 nightclub bombings on the island of Bali, which killed more than 200 people.

Totok Bambang, a prosecutor, told a court in South Jakarta at the opening of the trial that Saynudin, alias Fajar Taslim, belonged to JI's Singapore branch. He said the Singaporean knew other JI members including Riduan Isamuddin, alias Hambali, and Mas Selamat bin Kastari.

Hambali was accused of planning the 2002 Bali bombings and captured in 2003, while Kastari escaped from a Singapore prison in February.

Two other men arrested at the same time as Saynudin appeared in court on Tuesday, while the other seven will appear in court next week. They could face the death penalty if found guilty of terrorist acts.

"The defendants, whether alone or together, had plotted or attempted terrorism, spreading fear or causing mass casualties," the prosecutor said.

Indonesian anti-terrorism police found 20 bombs in a house in Palembang, which is about 425 km from Jakarta, and in other parts of South Sumatra in July 2008.

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