Cimanggis bombmaker gets 7 years

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.