Cimanggis bombmaker gets 7 years

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

Cibinong District Court sentenced on Wednesday Oman Abdurrahman, 32, to seven years' imprisonment for his involvement in a bomb blast on March 21, 2004, in Sukamaju Baru subdistrict, Cimanggis district, Depok.

The sentence was a year less than that sought by the prosecutors.

Presiding judge Eka Budi Prijanta underlined that Oman had been proven guilty of the illegal possession of explosive materials intended for use in a terrorist act.

Eka said that Oman, who is a Muslim preacher, was also proven guilty of instructing a training session on bomb assembly in Cimanggis.

"The incriminating factor in the verdict is that the defendant sparked unrest among the people," the judge told the courtroom, which was packed with Oman's supporters, mostly clad in white robes.

Responding to the verdict, Oman's lawyer Erwin Firmansyah from the Muslim Defenders Team said they would appeal.

Before leaving the courtroom, Oman circulated written statements that he did not recognize regulations other than the Koran.

Oman also said Muslims should not be loyal to the government, which is not founded in sharia.

Oman and eight members of his congregation have been named suspects for allegedly storing and assembling bombs in a house on Jl. Bakti ABRI. The bombs exploded prematurely in the house, but no one was hurt in the incident.

Besides Oman, the court on Tuesday sentenced Agus Kusdianto to five years' imprisonment, Muhamad Ferdiansyah and Hadi Swandono to four years', and Samin alias Apip Saan to three years' for similar crimes.

The court is scheduled to read its verdicts on Kamaludin, Syarif Hidayat, Septiono alias Amar and Inggrid Wahyucahyaningsih on Thursday.

After the incident on March 21, the police seized a total of 31.5 kilograms of potassium chlorate plus nine small sections of piping, and another section of piping already packed with explosives.

The police also found two plastic bags containing sulfur, fragments from a detonator, a notebook computer, weighing scales, VCDs on jihad (holy war) and a number of documents.

The suspects are reportedly members of a secretive Muslim group led by Oman. They had been living in a succession of rented houses in Cimanggis in the eight months prior to the incident.