Abu Jihad murder case to be tried in Ambon, police say
Muhammad Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon, Maluku
The trials of seven men accused of murdering three men reportedly linked to regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) will not be moved from Ambon, Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Bambang Sutrisno said Wednesday.
The families of the victims, Tengku Fauzi Hasbi (alias Abu Jihad), Ahmad Saridu and Edi Putra, had appealed for the trial to be moved away from the province, which is still recovering from three years of fierce fighting between Muslims and Christians.
Bambang said the security situation had returned to normal and "there is no strong reason to move the trial outside Ambon."
Maluku Prosecutors' Office deputy Lorens Serworwora agreed.
A date for the trial has yet to be set.
Tengku, Ahmad and Edi were allegedly abducted individually from the Nisma Hotel in Ambon on Feb. 23, Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 but later murdered at the same time. The trio were buried in the Batumerah hills near Ambon.
Police have said that Tengku was a senior member of JI, the groups alleged to have carried out the Bali bombing on Oct. 12 last year. The attack left 202 people, mainly foreign tourists, dead and hundreds of others injured.
Police are also investigating whether the killers were linked to the same terrorist group.
The seven suspects are Hermanto (alias Yanto), Mansur Fataruba alias Tucek, Abdullah Prawira, Yudi Saptura, Ganes, Syarif Tarabubun and Rahmat Perwira. Yanto is the alleged mastermind. Another suspect named Fitral is still at large.
Meanwhile, the first of 129 treason trials of people alleged to have hoisted or attempted to hoist the flag of outlawed South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist movement during its 53th anniversary on April 25, will begin with the hearing of Arjono Pelipus Unakwela, 17, in the Ambon District Court on Thursday.
Prosecutors' office special crimes head I Ngurah Sriada said that Arjono would be tried first since he was underage.
Suspects face up to 20 years in jail for treason.