Death penalty serves terrorist goals: Experts

Death penalty serves terrorist goals: Experts

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A death sentence will not put an end to the cowardly acts by
terrorists, as the ones that are allegedly committing them in the
name of religion, believe that their death will earn them status
as syuhada (martyrs), according to a legal expert and a rights
activist.

Topo Santoso from the University of Indonesia and Bambang
Widjoyanto, former director of the Indonesian Legal Aid
Foundation (YLBHI), expressed concerns over the weekend that a
death sentence could even provoke other people with similar
beliefs to emulate Amrozi and his cohorts.

Amrozi was sentenced to death by the Denpasar District Court
on Thursday after a panel of judges declared him guilty of
helping organize last year's deadly bombings in Denpasar, Bali.
Besides Amrozi, another 29 terrorist suspects are being tried in
the court and could possibly recieve a similar sentence.

"I think the main goal in sentencing criminals to death is to
prevent others from doing the same crime. In the case of
terrorism, I don't see that the death sentence will prevent
perpetrators because they have been indoctrinated to die for what
they believe in," Topo said.

Bambang said a death sentence might affect corruptors because
most of them wanted to live and spend their ill-gotten wealth,
but for terrorists like Amrozi, death was their ultimate goal.

Frans Hendra Winarta from the National Law Commission (KHN),
nevertheless, said that terrorists should be sentenced to death
because "they inflict severe suffering on the victims, spread
everlasting horror, and affect all aspects of life, including
economy, society and politics.

"As a lawyer, my personal position is usually against capital
punishment. But in certain situations, I can accept it (the
sentence)," Frans said.

"With regard to terrorism, I support the death penalty because
they (terrorists) are committed to their beliefs and nothing will
ever change them. Nothing."

Upon hearing Amrozi's verdict, most victims of the Bali
bombing and their relatives expressed satisfaction, saying that
"Amrozi will be dead."

More than 200 people, mostly foreign holidaymakers, were
killed and hundreds of others injured when terrorists attacked
two nightclubs, Paddy's and the Sari Club, on Bali last October.

Police have linked the bombers with Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), a
regional terrorist group allegedly connected with al-Qaeda, which
is blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001 attack in the United States that
killed more than 3,000 people.

Security officers have also linked JI with last week's blast
at the American-owned Marriott hotel in South Jakarta. At least
10 people were killed and more than 150 others injured in the
alleged suicide bombing.

Apart from the people's reactions, Amrozi appeared to welcome
the verdict and even showed a big smile and displayed two thumbs
up to onlookers just seconds after the panel of judges pounded
the gavel.

"The sentence could lead some to believe that Amrozi is an
actual martyr," Bambang told The Jakarta Post.

Even though it was strongly believed that law enforcement
could curb terrorist activities in the country, Topo said
international events would be dominant factors in determining
whether or not such threats could be ended.

Topo was referring to foreign policies imposed by certain
countries, including the United States and Australia, which many
potential terrorists perceive as unjust, especially with regard
to the various issues in the Middle East.

Bambang suggested that courts impose a life sentence on
terrorists as he believed that during their stay in jail, the
state would have a chance "to give a lighter, more humane
punishment."

Chronology of executions since 1980

1980
Jan. 5: Hengky Tupanwael, convicted for murder in 1964.

Feb. 6: Kusni Kasdut, convicted for murder in 1964.

1983
Apr. 13: Islamic fundamentalist Imron bin Mohammed Zein,
convicted for hijacking and other acts of terror.

1985
Feb. 14: Islamic fundamentalist Salman Hafidz, convicted for his
role in the same acts of terrorism as Imron bin Mohammed Zein.

May 14: 1965 alleged coup plotter and political prisoner Mohamad
Munir executed.

July 1-3: Coup-related prisoners Djoko Untung, Gatot Lestario,
and Rustomo are secretly executed, despite appeals from foreign
governments and human rights groups to spare their lives.

1986
Sept. 12: Islamic activist Maman Kusmayadi is executed.

Sept. 26 - early October: Nine coup-related prisoners -- Syam
alias Kamaruzaman alias Achmed Mubaudah, Supono Marsudidjojo
alias Pono, Mulyono alias Waluyo alias Bono (all three apparently
executed on Sept. 26), Amar Hanefiah, Wirjoatmodjo alias Jono
alias Tak Tanti, Kamil, Abdulah Alihamy alias Suparmin, Sudijono
and Tamuri Hidayat.

1987
Oct. 31: Liong Wie Tong alias Lazarus and Tan Tiang Tjoen, both
convicted for murder in 1962.

Nov. 17: Coup-related prisoner Sukarman was secretly executed on
East Java's Madura Island.

1988
April: Islamic activist Abdullah Umar probably executed during
this month.

June/July: Islamic activist Bambang Sispoyo was probably executed
at some point during these two months.

Oct.15: Coup-related prisoners Sukarjo and Giyadi Wignyosuharjo.

1992
December: Sergeant Adi Saputro, sentenced to death for murder.

1995
Malaysian national Chan Ting Chong alias Steven Chong, sentenced
to death in 1986 by West Jakarta District Court for heroin
possession.

2001
May 19: Gerson Pandie and Fredik Soru, sentenced to death for a
multiple murders in 1989, are executed in a forest east of
Kupang, the capital of West Timor.