Death sentence sought for Samudra over Bali bombing<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have requested that Imam Samudra, accused of
\nmasterminding and financing the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali bombings be
\nsentenced to death.<\/p>\n
They argued that the defendant was guilty of planning and
\nfinancing the terrorist attack in which at least 202 people,
\nmostly foreigners, were killed and more than 320 others injured.<\/p>\n
"The defendant Abdul Azis alias Imam Samudra... has been
\nconvincingly and legally proven to have jointly planned acts of
\nterrorism... and jointly provided funding for the Bali bombing,"
\nchief prosecutor I Nyoman Dilla said at Samudra's trial here on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
In the 301-page submission the prosecutors said that the
\nblasts caused fear among the public and the loss of international
\ntrust in Indonesian security.<\/p>\n
Previously, government prosecutors demanded a similar penalty
\nfor Amrozy bin Nurhasyim.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors further said the defendant should also be
\npunished for possessing illegal explosives.<\/p>\n
"The defendant should be sentenced to two death penalties and
\n15 years of imprisonment. However, since such punishments do not
\nexist in our legal system then we will seek the death penalty for
\nthe primary charge of planning and organizing the bombing only,"
\nNyoman told the court.<\/p>\n
Upon hearing the prosecutors' request, the defendant remained
\ncalm while several observers softly applauded.<\/p>\n
Samudra discussed the sentence request with his chief lawyer
\nQadhar Faisal. Both agreed to present the judges with a new
\ndefense at the next hearing on Monday Aug, 11.<\/p>\n
A survivor of the bombing watching the trial stood up to wave
\nan Australian flag as Samudra was escorted from the building.<\/p>\n
"I am satisfied with the prosecutors's performance. They have
\nlistened to the hopes of the victims and addressed their
\npsychological pain," 35 year-old Jan Laczynski said.<\/p>\n
Jan, who wore a white polo shirt emblazoned with "Sari Club",
\nthe name of the popular night spot that was leveled to the ground
\nby the bombing, was among 18 foreigners who attended the trial.<\/p>\n
Samudra has denied that he chose Bali as the location of the
\nbombing but he admitted he was disgusted by the behavior of
\nforeign tourists there.<\/p>\n
"I saw bules (white people) doing vicious things, drinking and
\nadulterous activities," he said earlier this month. "I felt
\nextremely disgusted."<\/p>\n
Samudra, who spent three years in Afghanistan learning warfare
\nskills, also said at the time that he had wanted to die as a
\nmartyr since he was in junior high school.<\/p>\n
He admitted he ran a web page claiming responsibility for the
\nblasts.<\/p>\n
Other key suspects on trial are a man known as Mukhlas, who as
\nJI's operations chief is said to have authorized the Bali attack,
\nand Ali Imron, one of the alleged bomb-makers. Mukhlas, Amrozi
\nand Ali Imron are brothers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/death-sentence-sought-for-samudra-over-bali-bombing-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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