Defendants deny knowing of bombs

JAKARTA: Three defendants charged with storing a substance allegedly employed in making the explosives that were used in the Marriott bombing on Aug. 5, 2003, told the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday that they did not know that the substance involved would be used to make a bomb.

Defendants Suprapto, Solichin and Heru Setianto, however, admitted that they had been warned by Purwadi, who gave them the powdery substance, to keep it away from heat or fire. Purwadi himself is currently standing trial for helping another Marriott bombing suspect, Muhammad Rais, to transport the substance from Pekanbaru, Riau province, to Jakarta.

Suprapto retracted the earlier statement he had made to police that the substance was to be used for making explosives, while Solichin denied ever saying that the substance was like gunpowder.

The trial was adjourned by presiding judge Effendi until May 24. -- JP