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)