Journalists' trial cut short
JAKARTA: Presiding Judge Andriani Nurdin of the Central Jakarta District Court cut short on Monday the first hearing on Tempo journalists Bambang Harymurti, Ahmad Taufik and Iskandar Ali, because they were not accompanied by a lawyer.
The three are defendants in a libel lawsuit filed by businessman Tomy Winata and charged with violating Article 14(1) of Law No. 1/1946 on Criminal Code.
"The defendants are charged with publishing an article which may instigate unrest, although the truth of the content is yet to be checked or is a lie," prosecutor Bastian told the court.
Also in attendance were several other media leaders, namely Tempo co-founder Goenawan Mohamad and Suara Pembaruan chief editor Bondan Winarno, as well as Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid.
The hearing was adjourned until next week.
The lawsuit is based on a story published in March 2003 which seemed to imply that Tomy Winata could have benefited from the fire at Tanah Abang market in February. The article apparently angered the businessman and his friends, who responded by besieging the Tempo office and allegedly attacking some journalists on March 8. -- JP
;JP;BBY; ANPAj..r.. Envoy-home-bomb-trial JP/8/JABAR
RP envoy home bomb trial
A defendant in the trial related to the bombing of the Philippines ambassador's residence here three years ago admitted on Monday that it was an act of revenge over the deaths of fellow Muslims in the neighboring country.
Abdul Jabar said at the Central Jakarta District Court that it was Fatur Rohman al-Ghozi who devised the plan and ordered him to drive the minivan loaded with explosives and to park it outside the house in Jl. Imam Bonjol, Menteng.
"I used to sell bottled honey and was also a water vendor ... I was not involved in the planning, but I was told that the original plan was to break through the fence to make sure the ambassador died in the explosion," he said.
Two people were killed when the car-bomb exploded on Aug. 1, 2000, but then ambassador Leonides T. Caday -- who had just arrived in a car, along with 20 other staff and passersby, survived.
Jabar said that he, along with Usman and Sarjio alias Sawad, were told to keep watch, around 200 meters from the crime scene.
"It was a straight order from Hambali who also provided the money," he said.
Hambali, or Riduan Isamuddin, is the alleged top operative of the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist network in Asia and currently under U.S. custody, while al-Ghozi, is now wanted after escaping prison while serving a 17-year jail term in the Philippines for possession of explosives.-JP
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Seniors sentenced for abusing juniors
JAKARTA: The South Jakarta District Court sentenced on Monday four female students to three months in jail with an eight month probation period, for abusing 17 students from SMUN 82 high school, in South Jakarta, in 2002.
Presiding Judge Bahtiar ANS found Samira, Irene Fransisca, Meli Moranti Putri and Meriansa Putri guilty as charged in accordance with the Criminal Code Article 335 (1) on indecent conduct.
On July 17, 2002, the 17 high school students were abused by their seniors -- who had already graduated at that time -- in a school tradition called "One Day."
The 17 students were physically mistreated, and therefore filed a report with Kebayoran Baru Police Subprecinct.--Antara