Alleged Bali bombing mastermind Samudra on trial for his life<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana and I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post,
\nDenpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
The alleged mastermind of the devastating Bali bomb attacks
\nappeared in court for the first time on Monday.<\/p>\n
Imam Samudra, 33, was charged under antiterrorism laws with
\nplotting and organizing the terror attacks that killed 202 people
\non Oct. 12 last year. If convicted, he faces execution.<\/p>\n
\"Imam Samudra deliberately used violence to create widespread
\nterror and fear by killing people and destroying property,\" lead
\nprosecutor I Nyoman Dila told the court.<\/p>\n
According to the indictment, Samudra, a computer expert,
\nchaired several planning meetings leading up to the nightclub
\nattacks.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant said there would be a big project to wage war
\nagainst the United States and in the meeting several bombing
\ntargets in Bali were outlined,\" Nyoman Dila said, reading from
\nthe 43-page indictment.<\/p>\n
Besides the Bali bombing, Samudra was also charged with
\ninvolvement in the bombing of five churches on Batam island,
\nRiau, and robbing the Elita jewelry shop in Serang, Banten, in
\nwhich the perpetrators made away with at least 2.5 kilograms of
\njewelry and Rp 5 million (US$610) in cash.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors alleged the defendant played a significant
\nrole in each of the crimes.<\/p>\n
In their opening, Samudra's lawyers said the Denpasar District
\nCourt had no jurisdiction to hear the cases, particularly those
\ninvolving the attacks in Batam and the robbery in Serang.<\/p>\n
Although the court had the permission of the minister of
\njustice to try all three cases, the lawyers argued the minister
\nhad no outright authority over the matter.<\/p>\n
The lawyers also claimed the indictment contravened the spirit
\nof the second amendment of the 1945 Constitution, particularly
\nArticle 28.<\/p>\n
\"The article concerned the right to not be prosecuted
\nretroactively,\" Samudra's lead lawyer Qadhar Faisal said.<\/p>\n
The antiterrorism law consists of two parts, the first
\ngoverning antiterrorism and the second making the first law
\nretroactive, especially for the Bali bombing.<\/p>\n
During the trial, Samudra tried to steal the show by
\nrepeatedly shouting Allahu Akbar (Allah is Great) after being
\nescorted to the defendant's chair.<\/p>\n
He then saluted the presiding judges, prosecutors, lawyers and
\naudience with the Islamic greeting of Assalamualaikum (May the
\ngrace of God be always with you).<\/p>\n
The opening of the trial was marked by the loss of the
\njustice's mallet. Presiding judge I Wayan Sugama had to open the
\ntrial by knocking on the bench with his clinched fist.<\/p>\n
Later in the afternoon, 11 witnesses testified at the trial of
\nAmrozi, another of the bombing suspects, which took place in the
\nsame building. Most of the testimonies centered on the Mitsubishi
\nL-300 minivan that was allegedly used by the terrorists as a car
\nbomb.<\/p>\n
The trial was later adjourned until Thursday. Prosecutors said
\nthere would be a total of 220 witnesses.<\/p>\n
Separately, at four different venues in the Denpasar District
\nPublic Court compound, Rauf, Junaedi, Andi Hidayat and Andri
\nOctavia were brought to court for the first time. The four were
\nallegedly involved in the robbery at the Elita jewelry shop and
\nin the Bali attacks.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/alleged-bali-bombing-mastermind-samudra-on-trial-for-his-life-1447893297",
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