10-year sentence sought for blast suspects

JAKARTA (JP): Prosecutors on Wednesday sought a 10-year sentence for the two suspects who allegedly hurled a grenade at the Malaysian embassy compound here last year.

However only one of the suspects, Iswadi H. Jamil, was present during the trial at the South Jakarta district court. The other suspect, Corp. Ibrahim Hasan, was tried in absentia after having escaped detention at Cipinang Penitentiary.

Prosecutor Agus Widodo told the court that both defendants were guilty of illegal possession of explosives.

"There is the possibility that the act of the defendants was based on the intention to cause national disturbance and disintegration," Agus said.

A grenade was hurled into the Malaysian embassy compound from Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said in August last year. It exploded in the parking lot of the embassy' compound.

There were no injuries and the explosion only caused minor damage.

Iswadi and Ibrahim Hasan allegedly obtained the grenades in Bandung, West Java, from a member of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) who is still at large.

The defense's lawyer, Johnson Pandjaitan, has accused prosecutors of trying to link the incident at the Malaysian Embassy with the Jakarta Stock Exchange bombing which occurred earlier in September.

The court adjourned until Aug. 8 to hear the defense.

In a separate development, the South Jakarta district court earlier on Wednesday morning also convened two separate trials on JSX bombing suspects.

However both trials were quickly suspended upon prosecutors' request.

In one trial for defendants Tengku Ismuhadi Jafar and Nuryadin, prosecutor Endang Rahman requested an adjournment to allow prosecutors to alter the dossiers due to the escape of Nuryadin.

Nuryadin remains at large after escaping from Cipinang prison on July 27.

Tengku Ismuhadi Jafar has been accused of being the strategist and organizer of the JSX bombing which killed 11 people.

Nuryadin, the alleged executor of the bombing, was an employee at Ismuhadi's auto repair shop.

Presiding judge Rusman Dani Achmad rejected the defense's objections to the adjournment.

The trial will be reconvened on Monday.

In the other trial prosecutors were also granted an adjournment to allow them time to include suspect Irwan's recent failed jailbreak in the dossiers.

Irwan is another of the 12 suspects who are being tried at the South Jakarta district court for the JSX bombing.

Prosecutors attempts during the trial on Wednesday to seek further testimony from Irwan, a former Kopassus member, on the bombing failed as the defendant refused to disclose further information.

Sources close to the court said Irwan was afraid to divulge further information on the attack for fear of reprisals against his family living in Aceh.

Irwan's lawyer, Arfiandi Fauzan, said his client had also been absent in previous hearings due to fear for his own life and that of his family.

Arfiandi did not elaborate on the nature of the threats which had been received by his client.

However, prosecutor Suyitno told reporters that pending the approval of the judge, Irwan could provide testimony in private which could be considered by prosecutors in drafting the final dossier. (06)4