20 years demanded for Makassar bomber

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi

The prosecution requested the Makassar District Court on Wednesday to sentence Wirahadi, alias Wira, the defendant, to 20 years in jail for his role in an aborted bombing attempt two years ago on fast-food restaurant KFC.

Wirahadi, 21, is one of 20 defendants linked to the attacks on McDonald's and auto show room NV Hadji Kalla, and an aborted bombing attempt on a local KFC outlet in December 2002 in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi.

Mustapeng, the head of the prosecution, said Wirahadi was found guilty of violating Antiterrorism Law No. 15/2003. Mustapeng accused him of being the executor of the bombing attempt on the KFC outlet in Pengayoman area, and accomplices Ashar, Arman and Mirjal of bombing McDonald's and NV Hadji Kalla.

On Dec. 5, the four went to their respective targets to detonate the bombs, but Wirahadi had decided to abort the KFC bombing, because "there were already many police at the scene".

He threw the bomb away in a nearby ditch and went home.

His accomplices executed their plans, killing three people in the McDonald's bombing and injuring 15 others. No one was injured in the explosion at NV Hadji Kalla.

The trial has been adjourned until early February to hear the defense.

The Makassar District Court has sentenced 16 defendants, with sentences ranging from two to 18 years in jail. Wirahadi is the 17th defendant being tried in the Makassar bombing cases.

The police have named 25 people as suspects in the cases. Besides Wirahadi and the 16 who have been sentenced, three are still at large, one was acquitted, one died in a bombing and three others are being tried at a separate Palopo court.