Rusydan gets 3 years for hiding bomber<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The South Jakarta District Court sentenced on Wednesday the
\nacting leader of regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI)
\nto three years and six months in prison for harboring one of the
\nperpetrators of the Bali bombings. The verdict was lighter than
\nthe prosecutors' demand of nine years.<\/p>\n
The panel of judges found defendant Abu Rusydan guilty of
\nconcealing information on the planned terrorist attacks in Bali
\nthat occurred on Oct. 12, 2002. The blasts -- the second worst
\nafter the World Trade Center attack in New York on Sept. 11, 2001
\n-- killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.<\/p>\n
"The defendant is guilty of withholding information on
\nterrorist activities in violation of Article 13c of Regulation in
\nLieu of Law No. 1\/2002 on antiterrorism," presiding judge Mahmud
\nRahimi said in his verdict.<\/p>\n
Defense lawyers will appeal the verdict.<\/p>\n
Rusydan condemned the verdict, saying it was arbitrary. "God
\nwill punish those who have prosecuted me." His supporters,
\nhowever, chanted Allahu Akbar (God is Great) to welcome the
\nverdict.<\/p>\n
The sentence is retroactive and will be calculated from the
\ntime Rusydan has spent in detention since Aug. 30, 2003.<\/p>\n
In the indictment, Rusydan was said to know Ali Gufron alias
\nMukhlas as one of the Bali bombers and failed to inform the
\npolice of Gufron's whereabouts.<\/p>\n
Rusydan was also said to have attended a series of meetings,
\nattended by Gufron, which took place after the Bali blasts.
\nGufron was sentenced to death by the Denpasar District Court for
\nplanning the attack.<\/p>\n
Defense lawyers repeatedly demanded that the court acquit
\nRusydan of all charges. They argued Rusydan could not be
\nprosecuted for harboring one of the Bali bombers as he met Gufron
\nbefore the latter was declared a suspect in the Bali blast case.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rusydan-gets-3-years-for-hiding-bomber-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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