Christmas bombing suspect gets 15 years in jail<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The Bandung District Court sentenced on Monday
\nMuhammad Iqbal to 15 years imprisonment for his involvement in a
\nChristmas Eve bomb blast in Bandung last year which killed four
\npeople.<\/p>\n
The sentence was far lighter than the life sentence the
\nprosecutor had demanded.<\/p>\n
The 42-year-old Iqbal kept his head down and began to cry when
\nthe verdict was handed down by presiding judge Hazli Saleh. The
\ndefendant's two wives, who were present on the courtroom, also
\nshed tears upon hearing the verdict.<\/p>\n
The judge said Iqbal was guilty of the illegal possession and
\nuse of explosives, a violation of State Emergency Law No. 12\/1951
\nand articles 55, 56 and 186 of the Criminal Code on the illegal
\npossession and use of weapons.<\/p>\n
Four men died in the blast at a welding shop on Jl. Terusan
\nJakarta in Bandung on the evening of Dec. 24, 2000. The shop is
\nbelieved to have been used to assemble bombs that were meant to
\nbe planted in different locations in Bandung.<\/p>\n
The judge said the only mitigating circumstance in the
\ndefendant's favor was that Iqbal had never before been convicted
\nof a crime.<\/p>\n
The judge said there was no doubt that Iqbal was involved in
\nthe use and handling of the explosives.<\/p>\n
The court said Iqbal's actions caused the loss of four lives,
\nand that the bomb blast created a public disturbance as well as
\ncreating a possible conflict between religious groups. Iqbal also
\nonce escaped police detention.<\/p>\n
Iqbal's lawyer Armanto Ahza said he would appeal the verdict.<\/p>\n
Two other suspects in the case, Roni Miliar and Agus
\nKurniawan, were sentenced to nine years of imprisonment each.
\n(25)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/christmas-bombing-suspect-gets-15-years-in-jail-1447893297",
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