Christmas Eve bombing trial begins

Christmas Eve bombing trial begins

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The hearing into the Christmas Eve
bombings here is scheduled to begin in a Medan Court on Monday
morning with the reading of an indictment against a defendant who
reportedly made 14 bombs.

Antara identified the defendant only as Es.

The court is due to be presided over by Judge K. Sianturi.

The court hearing is expected to be held under tight security,
with the defendant being tried wearing a bullet-proof vest.

Prosecutors will charge Edi with violating the 1951 Emergency
Law, which carries the death sentence.

As reported earlier, Edi Sugiharto was arrested on Jan. 11 in
North Sumatra, along with friends Lingga and Fadli.

A police source had earlier said that Edi told police officers
that he learned to make bombs "during his experience working with
a certain division of the Army, over a period of five years in
Aceh."

Separately, North Sumatra police chief of detectives Sr. Comr.
Iskandar Hasan confirmed that Edi had confessed to making 14
bombs and received Rp 160 million to make them.

The Christmas Eve bomb blasts killed at least 19 people
nationwide. Most exploded outside churches. (ylt)