Bali bombing in line with bin Laden edict: Witness

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

The deadly Bali bombing was carried out by regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) and was in accordance with an edict issued by Osama bin Laden, a witness said on Thursday.

Wan Min Wan Mat, a Malaysian now under detention in Kuala Lumpur for his involvement with JI, said that the attack was meant to threaten Americans and Australians in Indonesia.

"It (the bombing) was in accordance with Osama bin Laden's edict and lecture of JI leaders in Malaysia," Wan Min said in a written statement read out by prosecutor I Nyoman Dila in the trial of key suspect Imam Samudra.

Powerful bombs ripped through two popular nightclubs in Kuta, Bali, on Oct. 12, 2002, killing at least 202 people and injuring some 350 others, mostly foreign tourists.

Osama is the leader of international terrorist network al- Qaeda, held responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

JI, founded by three Indonesians, is believed to have links with al-Qaeda. Both organizations are included on the United Nations list of terrorist groups.

Wan Min said he came to know Imam Samudra through a series of JI meetings in Johor, Malaysia, in 1995.

"I also know that the defendant visited Malaysia very frequently to see Muklas," said Wan Min, referring to Ali Gufron, alias Muklas, believed to be the regional leader of the network.

Indonesian prosecutors have been utilizing various means to gather testimony against the defendants of the Oct. 12 Bali bombing, including getting foreign witnesses to testify at court via teleconferencing facilities.

Police authorities had asked Malaysian authorities to allow Wan Min to come to Indonesia to testify at court, but the request was denied.

"We have summoned the witness twice, but so far there has been no response," Bali prosecutor's office spokesman Muhammad Salim said.

In his deposition, Wan Min also said that the Bali bombing was financed with the US$30,500 he sent to Muklas from Malaysia in three installments.

"The fund was in accordance with the plan arranged during a meeting in Bangkok in February 2002," the deposition said, referring to a meeting attended by Muklas, Nurdin, Hambali and Zulkifli.

During the meeting in Bangkok, Muklas was appointed as JI leader to replace Hambali, while Zulkarnaen was tasked to lead the Indonesian group in the bombing.

Imam Samudra denied most of Wan Min's testimony, saying that he had rarely visited Malaysia and that there was never any meeting in Bangkok as mentioned by Wan Min.

The court also heard the testimony of two other witnesses -- Sylvester Tendean and Getuk Damanik.

Separately, the Bali prosecutor's office filed the dossiers of 13 suspects dubbed the East Kalimantan group at the district court.

The 13 suspects are: Ali Imron, Hutomo Pamungkas, Muhamad Yunus, Sukastopo, Puryanto, Firmansyah, Sofyan Hadi, Samsul Arifin, Imam Susanto, Eko Hadi Prasetyo, Mujarod, Sirojul Munir and Muhajir.

Ali Imron and Hutomo Pamungkas have been recommended the death sentence, while the rest have been recommended terms of up to 15 years' imprisonment for concealing and aiding terrorist suspects.

"The dossier of another suspect, Hamsah Baya, will be ready next week," Salim said.

The prosecutor's office has submitted dossiers on 28 of the 37 suspects connected with the Bali bombing, who are currently being held at Bali police headquarters.