Bomb suspect may face 10 years<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Prosecutors requested on Monday a 10-year sentence for a suspect
\nin December's bombing of a McDonald's outlet and a car dealership
\nin Makassar, South Sulawesi, which killed three people and
\ninjured 11 others.<\/p>\n
Suriadi, 32, was \"legally and convincingly\" guilty of aiding
\nthe bombers and of concealing information on the terrorist attack
\non Dec. 5, 2002, the prosecutors said.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the facts unveiled at the trial, the defendant knew
\nthat material evidence, including a bag of potassium, a metal
\ncable and electric cables, which were kept at his house, belonged
\nto Ilham Riadi (another suspect),\" chief prosecutor Hajrati said.<\/p>\n
\"But the defendant (Suriadi) did not report it to authorities.
\nTherefore, we believe that he deliberately concealed information
\non the planned terrorist attack,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Suriadi is the second defendant to be tried at the Makassar
\nDistrict Court who could face 10 years in jail after Imal Hamid,
\na younger brother of Agung Abdul Hamid, the alleged mastermind of
\nthe Makassar bombings.<\/p>\n
Reading out the 16-page indictment, Hajrati said Suriadi was
\nalso found to have received and kept a plastic bag containing an
\nillegally obtained FN pistol, which he later gave to Ilham Riadi.<\/p>\n
Police had also seized at least nine arrows during a raid on
\nSuriadi's home, the prosecutor added.<\/p>\n
Hajrati said the recommended sentence was increased because
\nthe defendant gave twisted statements during the trial, and the
\nresulting terrorist act damaged Indonesia's international image.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors also asked the defendant to pay Rp 5,000 for
\ncourt proceedings.<\/p>\n
Suriadi, an elementary school teacher, denied all charges.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't know that the bag contained potassium. I thought it
\nwas animal feed, like my sister Sohra said. The goods belonged to
\nAgung Abdul Hamid and Ilham Riadi, who gave them to Sohra's
\nhusband Syauka Al Faruq for safekeeping,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Suriadi told the court that he and his lawyers would present
\ntheir defense plea during the next hearing scheduled for Monday,
\nAug. 18.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, the Makassar court resumed the trials of other
\ndefendants of the case: Muchtar Daeng Lau; Anton bin Labbase;
\nKhaerul, alias Haerul; Muhammad Tang, alias Itang; and Masnur.<\/p>\n
A total of 13 people are being tried over the Makassar
\nbombings, but none have been sentenced as of yet.<\/p>\n
Agung Abdul Hamid, the alleged brain behind the attack,
\nremains at large. Police said he fled with explosives.<\/p>",
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