Court convicts terror accomplices

JAKARTA: Three men were found guilty on Tuesday of aiding wanted terrorist suspects Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Mohd Top, who are both currently still on the run, to avoid arrest, and for failing to inform the authorities as to their whereabouts.

The South Jakarta District Court sentenced Bagus Budi Pranoto and Luthfi Haidaroh to three-and-a-half years in jail each, while Son Hadi was jailed for four years.

The judicial panel said the three were guilty beyond all reasonable doubt of violating the antiterrorism law, which carries a maximum penalty of death. Police arrested them following the bomb attack on the JW Marriot Hotel in South Jakarta in August 2003.

Although rejecting the verdict, the convicted defendants said they would not appeal it.

Azahari and Noordin have also been accused of masterminding the Bali bombings in 2002 and the attack on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta last September. -- Antara