Five years sought for bomb suspects

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Prosecutors on Thursday asked for a five-year jail sentence for Ramli, alias Dadang Hermana, 42, who is on trial in connection with the bomb explosion at Graha Cijantung mall in East Jakarta on July 1, 2002.

Prosecutor Supomo told the East Jakarta District Court that Ramli was guilty of being involved in the low-explosion incident and of possessing illegal weapons.

Ramli is being charged with violating Article 1 of Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on ammunition and arms possession, which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment or a death sentence.

He had earlier been handed down a 20-year jail sentence by the Bekasi District Court for illegal arms possession in a separate case.

Even if the East Jakarta District Court finds Ramli guilty in the Cijantung bomb case and give him another five years in jail, this would not mean that Ramli will spend 25 years in jail. According to the law, 20 years is the maximum sentence that he should serve.

The police had repeatedly claimed that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was behind the bomb at Cijantung mall, which is located near the Army's Special Forces headquarters. However, the trial did not implicate GAM at all in connection with the case.

The indictment stated that, on the day of the bombing, Ramli was driving with several friends in a Kijang van when Sahrul Aryady, alias Sugeng, told the occupants of the car, "We'll blow up Graha Cijantung today to cause chaos in Jakarta." The homemade bomb was prepared by Sahrul and Mukharam, who was also in the car.

At 7 p.m., Mukharam planted the bomb under the emergency stairs at the basement level.

The blast damaged level B2 of the mall, but no casualties were reported.

Presiding Judge Pardiman adjourned the trial until June 3, when the defense would present their opening statement.