Court urged to drop charges against Surya

JAKARTA (JP): The lawyer of the main defendant in the Istiqlal Grand Mosque bomb blast case demanded on Monday that the Central Jakarta District Court quash all charges against his client on grounds of legal technicalities.

"The defendant, Surya Setiawan, should be cleared of all the charges because he carried out the bombing under the influence of another person's pressure," lawyer Hodlan P. Sitorus said in a defense statement before the hearing presided over by Judge Rasadi Salmun.

Sitorus quoted articles 48 and 49 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates that a person cannot be sentenced if they commit crimes under pressure from a second party.

He said the 26-year-old defendant earlier testified before the judges that on April 14, 1999, five unidentified people ordered him to carry out the bombing.

"The five people threatened to kill Surya and his family members if the defendant refused to cooperate," Sitorus said.

He said the defendant was subsequently involved in the April 19 bombing, along with suspects Jamhuri, Nurly alias Rully, Suradi, Semi Sedubun, Atin and Uci.

The six suspects have been indicted in separate trials.

The mosque bombing hit the headlines for several days because it occurred amid heightened political tension prior to the June 7 general election.

Police are still pursuing the mastermind behind the bombing.

Government prosecutor Hasan Madani previously demanded the court sentence Surya to four and a half years in jail for the illegally possession and use of explosive materials.

Judge Rasadi adjourned the trial until next week, when the prosecutor will present his case. (ind)