Witnesses tell of Amrozi's chemical purchases<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
More witnesses provided on Thursday evidence pointing to Amrozi's
\nkey role in last year's Bali bombings, saying the defendant
\npurchased materials for the explosives that killed over 200
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Two employees of Surabaya-based Tidar Kimia chemical shop
\ntestified that Amrozi purchased a large quantity of chemical
\nmaterials on three separate occasions ahead of the bombings in
\nBali.<\/p>\n
Supomo, 36, and Fauzi, 26, told the court they both served the
\ndefendant during his visits to the store. The defendant bought
\na total of 2,000 kilograms of potassium chlorate, the base
\ncompound used in firecrackers, sparklers and fireworks, and 50
\nkilograms of aluminum powder. Amrozi also purchased sulfur, but
\nthe witnesses could not give the exact quantity.<\/p>\n
\"He (Amrozi) bought 20 bags of potassium chlorate on the
\nfirst visit. Later on, he bought another 20 bags and finally 40
\nbags. Each bag weighed around 25 kilograms,\" Supomo said.<\/p>\n
He said he helped Amrozi carry 80 kilograms of the chemical
\nand loaded them into the defendant's Mitsubishi L-300 minivan.<\/p>\n
Police investigators found residues of potassium chlorate,
\nTNT, RDX and PETN at the site of the Sari Club, where the most
\ndevastating of the three bombs of Oct. 12, 2002 exploded.<\/p>\n
Previously, suspect Ali Imron confessed before police
\ninterrogators that potassium chlorate was the primary substance
\nused in the bombs.<\/p>\n
Both Supomo and Fauzi said they were unaware of Amrozi's
\nintentions for the bulk purchase of potassium chlorate. They were
\nalso unaware that their employer Sylvester Tendean had registered
\nthe sale as benzoate on the invoice.<\/p>\n
Sylvester was sentenced to seven months in prison by the
\nSurabaya District Court for falsifying the invoice.<\/p>\n
A total of eight witnesses testified on Thursday before the
\ncourt. The trial was adjourned until Monday, when more witnesses
\nwould be called.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, prosecutors in the trial of suspected
\nfield commander Abdul Aziz, alias Imam Samudra, rejected the
\ndefendant's argument against the retroactive principle applied in
\nhis case.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors insisted that the retroactivity of the Law on
\nTerrorism was applicable, as the crime with which Samudra was
\nbeing charged was extraordinary and categorized as a crime
\nagainst humanity.<\/p>\n
\"In this case, the retroactivity of the Law on Terrorism is
\nvalid in order to fulfill the public's demand for justice,\"
\nprosecutor Putu Supartha Jaya told the court.<\/p>\n
He also dismissed the defense's objection that the Denpasar
\nDistrict Court had no authority to try Samudra on the Batam
\nbombing nor on the robbery of the jewelry shop in Serang, West
\nJava.<\/p>\n
\"The Minister of Justice and Human Rights has officially
\nauthorized this court to do so,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In another related trial, defendants Rauf, Junaedi, Andi
\nHidayat and Andri Octavia also objected to the use of
\nretroactivity in their trial and questioned the authority of the
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
\"The crime took place in Serang, so this court has no
\nauthority to try the case,\" defense lawyer Bayu Srijaya told the
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
The four defendants, known as members of the Serang Group, are
\ncharged with deliberately raising or providing funds for
\nterrorist activities. They are also accused of robbing the Elita
\njewelry shop in Serang in August 2002.<\/p>\n
The Bali Police moved on Thursday 23 suspects in the Bali
\nbombing case to Kerobokan penitentiary as the renovation of the
\nbuilding had been completed. Previously, the suspects had been
\ndetained at police stations in Denpasar, Tabanan, Gianyar, Mengwi
\nand Tohpati.<\/p>\n
Key suspects Amrozi, Imam Samudra, Ali Gufron and Ali Imron
\nare to remain in the custody of Bali Police headquarters for
\nsecurity reasons.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/witnesses-tell-of-amrozis-chemical-purchases-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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