Jobless man jailed for murder attempt

Jobless man jailed for murder attempt

JAKARTA (JP): An unemployed Tangerang man was sentenced to
nine years in prison on Monday for a murder attempt on National
Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Matori Abdul Djalil in March.

The South Jakarta District Court found Achmad Tazul Arifin,
34, guilty on two counts: a premeditated murder attempt and
illegal possession of firearms.

The sentence for Tazul, alias Sabar, of Jatiuwung in Tangerang
was three years lighter than had been requested by the government
prosecutors, led by Abdul Kamar Badrun.

Among the mitigating circumstances cited by presiding judge
Muhamad Munawir were Tazul's expression of remorse in court and
his apology to Matori, who was also present in court.

Matori in his testimony to the court accepted the apology.

Tazul is the only person to be tried in connection with the
attempt on Matori's life on the morning of March 5 while the
latter was on the front porch of his residence.

Matori suffered head injuries from the axe that was used in
the attack which was carried out by two men, Tazul and Tarmo.

Tarmo was killed by a mob as the two men attempted to flee
from the scene.

Police subsequently confiscated an FN rifle and a homemade
revolver from Tazul's home in Tangerang.

Two other suspects in the case, whom the police believed to be
the masterminds, were identified as Zulfikar and Assadullah.

Both men are still at large.

Tazul, a father of four children, told The Jakarta Post after
the verdict that he planned to appeal against the court decision.

"I object. I didn't know anything. I never meant to harm
anyone, let alone murder Matori," he said.

Police sources have identified Tazul as a member of a radical
youth organization, Angkatan Mujahiddin Islam Nusantara (AMIN),
then based in the Caringin Maseng subdistrict of Cijeruk, Bogor.

The organization had allegedly provided military-style
training for its members and organized robberies at several big
banks and on toll roads in Greater Jakarta to raise funds for its
activities and to purchase ammunition. (ylt/01)