Another two terrorist suspects sentenced<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi<\/p>\n
The Makassar District Court on Thursday sentenced Muchtar Daeng
\nLau, 35, and Hamid Razzaq, 63, to prison terms of seven years and
\ntwo years respectively for their involvement in the bombings of a
\nMcDonald's fast-food outlet and an automotive showroom in
\nDecember last year.<\/p>\n
Hamid Razzaq is the father of Agung Abdul Hamid, the prime
\nsuspect in the attack, who remains at large.<\/p>\n
Reading out the verdict, presiding judge Jassolo Situmorang
\nsaid Muchtar was found guilty of concealing information on a
\nterrorist suspect. As a member of Laskar Jundullah group which
\nwas led by Agung, Muchtar would have known about the planned bomb
\nattack, the judge said.<\/p>\n
"But the defendant (Muchtar) failed to report (the
\ninformation) to the police. The failure left three people dead,
\n15 others injured and caused material losses," Situmorang said.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors, who charged the defendant under the antiterrorism
\nlaw, had demanded 10 years in prison for Muchtar.<\/p>\n
After hearing the verdict, Muchtar and his lawyer Abraham
\nSamad appealed. The lawyer said that the basis of the verdict was
\ntoo superficial.<\/p>\n
"My client is convicted because he is a member of the group
\nand automatically knew about the planned act of terrorism. If
\nthis is the case, then all members of the Laskar Jundullah can be
\ndeclared suspects," he said.<\/p>\n
In a separate courtroom, presiding judge Andi Haedar sentenced
\nHamid Razzaq to two years in prison, three years lower than
\ndemanded by the prosecutors.<\/p>\n
In their verdict, the panel of judges said that the defendant
\nwas guilty of concealing information relating to the whereabouts
\nof explosives, potassium and TNT, stored by Agung at his house in
\nthe regency of Barru in South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The defendant, the judges said, did not report the information
\nto the police, an offense under the antiterrorism law.<\/p>\n
Andi Haedar recalled that Agung had visited his father Hamid
\nand brother Imal Hamid in 2001 and informed them that he had been
\nstoring explosives.<\/p>\n
Responding to the verdict, Hamid's lawyer Adnan Buyung Azis
\nappealed because the antiterrorism law only came into effect in
\n2002, while Hamid received the information about the explosives
\nin 2001.<\/p>\n
"The antiterrorism law does not recognize retroactivity. The
\nlegal basis of the sentence is not valid," the lawyer said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/another-two-terrorist-suspects-sentenced-1447893297",
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