Let the law prevail<\/p>\n
The death sentence, that was pronounced by the court on
\nThursday in Denpasar for Amrozi bin Nurhasyim was an event of
\nmajor significance for various indisputable reasons. Indeed, both
\nthe judgment and the circumstances that led to it can be regarded
\nas setting a new milestone in the country's history of
\njurisprudence. After all, the Bali bombing tragedy on Oct. 12 --
\nthat left at least 202 people dead last year -- was the jolt that
\nforced Indonesia out of its complacency and toward taking the
\nthreat of terrorism seriously.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's judgment, was made after some 50 witnesses were
\nheard in the court. It was the first verdict made under
\nIndonesia's tough new antiterrorism law, which was passed in the
\nwake of the Kuta bombing tragedy. The court is expected to pass
\nsimilar verdicts in the coming months. Among those that are
\nexpected to go on trial are the other key suspects in the case,
\ntwo of Amrozy's brothers, Ali Ghufron and Ali Imron, as well as
\nthe plot's alleged mastermind, Imam Samudra.<\/p>\n
The severity of Thursday's court verdict was made even more
\nmeaningful by the fact that it was passed just two days after a
\ncar bomb of similar strength and composition -- and planted in
\nmore or less the same method as the Bali bomb -- ripped through
\nthe plush American-managed JW Marriott Hotel in Central Jakarta.
\nTen people were killed and 149 injured. Much like the Bali bomb,
\nthe Marriott bomb caused considerable damage to the hotel and its
\nimmediate surroundings.<\/p>\n
Given the timing, and the similarities of means and methods
\nemployed in the Bali and Marriott blasts, it is difficult not to
\nread in the latter an ominous message to the government of
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri, and to the panel of judges in
\nDenpasar. In fact, precisely such a message was reported to have
\nactually been delivered by an alleged Jamaah Islamiyah operative
\nto authorities in Singapore immediately after the Marriott
\nbombing. The message, according to the report, contained the
\nwarning that the \"murder\" of any Jamaah member or associate would
\nbe avenged in kind.<\/p>\n
Whether or not such an assumption is correct is, of course,
\nopen to question. After all, the Bali bombing suspects admitted
\nunder interrogation that their main motive was to kill as many
\nforeigners as possible -- Americans in particular -- to avenge
\nthe killings of Muslims and the injustices done to them in the
\nMiddle East, and elsewhere in the world by the Western
\n\"crusaders.\" Also, Indonesian police authorities have claimed
\nlast week to have confiscated documents in Semarang, Central
\nJava, disclosing plans to attack certain areas in Central
\nJakarta, including the area where the Marriott Hotel is located.
\nThe link between Bali, Semarang and Jakarta, however, has not yet
\nbeen established.<\/p>\n
Whatever the case may be, it is obvious that the government,
\nincluding the judicial authorities, cannot bow to such threats.
\nIt is the government's duty to make sure that security prevails
\nin the community and that the lives and property of all citizens
\nand residents, regardless of race or creed, are protected.
\nBusiness must be assured a conducive climate for operations and
\npeople must be able to go about their daily business in freedom
\nand safety. Murder, and mass murder in particular, can not be
\ncondoned. By whatever arguments killers attempt to make in
\njustification of their acts, they must be punished in accordance
\nto the law.<\/p>\n
It is for all these reasons that we believe that Indonesians
\nwill understand the extreme verdict that was passed by the court
\nin Denpasar on Thursday. The Marriott blast was the latest deadly
\nbombing incident to disrupt the peace in this country. More
\ncould follow. All that Indonesians can do under the present
\ncircumstances is to remain vigilant, while hoping and praying
\nthat the intelligence authorities will do their jobs and improve
\ntheir performance with speed and persistence.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/let-the-law-prevail-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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