Tue, 10 Oct 2000

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)