Bali bombing defendant denies charges

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

A defendant on trial for his role in the Bali bombings Suranto Abdul Ghoni, alias Umar, alias Wayan, denied on Monday accusations that he had taken part in manufacturing the bombs, which killed 202 people in October 2002.

"I only pounded and ground the chemical powder sent by Amrozi. Is the act of grinding classified as mixing and manufacturing a bomb?" he asked presiding judge I Made Sadia.

Amrozi, one of the masterminds of the attack, was responsible for the logistical support of the operation, including the purchase of explosive materials and the minivan that was later used as a car bomb. He was sentenced to death for his role in the terrorist attack. Recently his sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court.

In his 20-minute-long reply to the prosecutor's charge, Suranto also claimed that he had never participated in any of the meetings in which the bombings were planned, including the one that took place at Hernianto's house in Solo, Central Java.

"Seventeen witnesses have testified in this trial and none of them identified me as a leader, intellectual actor or the treasurer of the operation. Moreover, no one claimed that I agreed and supported the outcome of the meeting in Hernianto's house," Suranto stressed.

"Could somebody who did not have any knowledge of a meeting be accused of participating in that meeting, of agreeing with the meeting's results and taking a treasurer's role in it?"

Afterward, Suranto's lawyer Mirzen pointed out that the main charge presented by the prosecutor, had not been substantiated by any of the witnesses.

However, Mirzen admitted his client had failed to inform the police of the existence of bomb making materials, such as aluminum powder, sulfur and potassium chlorate in a rented house in downtown Denpasar, where he resided during his stay in Bali.

"Those aforementioned facts prompt us to inquire: on what evidences did the prosecutor actually base his accusation, that my client had perpetrated the bombings?" he asked.

In the previous trial, the prosecutor had demanded a life sentence for the defendant for his role in manufacturing and transporting the bombs.

The trial was adjourned until Monday next week.