Bali bombers helped ambassador attack<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A convict and three defendants in the Bali bombings trials
\nadmitted on Monday their involvement in the bombing of the
\nPhilippine ambassador's residence in Jakarta in 2000.<\/p>\n
The four claimed that they had received the order from
\nHambali, the alleged top operative of the al-Qaeda-linked
\nterrorist network in Asia who is currently under U.S. custody.<\/p>\n
"Hambali asked me if I could provide a red Suzuki Carry
\nminivan ... It was Hambali who asked for the car," said Amrozi,
\nwho was given the death sentence for his key role in the Bali
\nbombings.<\/p>\n
Amrozi took the stand as a witness at the hearing of the trial
\nof Abdul Jabar, the main suspect in the bombing of the envoy's
\nresidence and two churches on Christmas Eve in Jakarta that year,
\nat the Central Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
When watching a news broadcast on the bombing on Aug. 1, 2000,
\n-- which killed two people and injured 21 others, including then
\nPhilippine ambassador Leonides T. Caday -- Amrozi realized that
\nthe minivan, that he purchased for Rp 11.5 million (US$1,353),
\nwas used in the car bomb.<\/p>\n
"I told Dulmatin (still a fugitive in Bali bombings case) that
\nhe should have told me (that the car would be used in the blast)
\nso I could erase its engine number as I did in the Bali
\nbombings," Amrozi said, adding that he had destroyed the
\nvehicle's ownership document.<\/p>\n
Amrozi, his younger brother Ali Imron and accomplices Mubarok
\nand Sarjio alias Sawad admitted during the hearing that the
\nminivan was brought all the way to Jakarta from Amrozi's hometown
\nin Tenggulun village, Lamongan regency, East Java, several days
\nbefore the bombing.<\/p>\n
The four were flown to Jakarta on Sunday evening and took the
\nflight back to the Bali police detention center after the hearing
\nended. Except Amrozi, who was wearing a Muslim outfit, the other
\nthree sported casual shirts and pants.<\/p>\n
Led by prosecutor Suharto, the four-strong prosecution team
\nfailed to link Jabar to the bombing until they read the written
\ndeposition of Fatur Rohman al-Ghozi in which he asked Usman to
\nrecruit Jabar for the bombing of the ambassador's residence. The
\nprosecutors even delayed the hearing for 25 minutes to hear Ali
\nImron because the police had difficulty releasing his handcuffs
\ninside the courtroom.<\/p>\n
Al-Ghozi, who is a fugitive after escaping prison while
\nserving a 12-year prison term in the Philippines for possession
\nof explosives, stated that he accepted Hambali's instruction "to
\nhelp the Jakarta team to bomb the Philippine ambassador's
\nresidence" and that he had surveyed the residence one week prior
\nto the bombing together with Usman and new recruit Jabar.<\/p>\n
The minivan carried six packs of aluminum powder, potassium
\nchlorate and sulfur bought from chemical store Tidar in Surabaya
\nand was mixed into a paste by Sarjio during a stop in Cirebon,
\nWest Java.<\/p>\n
It was Dulmatin, who is believed to be a detonator specialist,
\nwho completed the bomb.<\/p>\n
The minivan and the bombs were later taken to Jakarta by Usman
\nalias Edi Setiono alias Abas, who has received the death sentence
\nfor his involvement in the bombing of the Koinonia Church in East
\nJakarta and the Anglican church in Central Jakarta on Dec. 24.<\/p>\n
The trial was adjourned until Monday.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bali-bombers-helped-ambassador-attack-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }