Makassar bomb suspects could stand trial soon

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi

The South Sulawesi Police transferred on Tuesday eight suspects in the Dec. 5, 2002 Makassar bomb blasts and handed over their dossiers to the state prosecutor's office in the city.

The eight were identified as Muchtar Daeng Lau, Masnur, Usman, Anton, Kahar Mustafa, Abdul Hamid Rassaq, Imal Abdul Hamid and Lukman. Eleven other people are in custody in connection with the case and are still being investigated.

The police also handed over, along with the suspects, one motorcycle, TNT and other material evidence.

The provincial chief of detectives, Sr. Comr. Achmad Abdi, said the suspects had been transferred to Makassar prison because their dossiers have been completed.

"The state prosecutor who officially received the suspects and dossiers confirmed that the dossiers had been completed, and so the prosecutors can prepare the indictments against the suspects before they stand trial," he said.

Abdi said that 24 people had been declared suspects in the bombings, which killed three people and injured 11 others. Five of the 24 are still at large.

The five alleged to have played a decisive role in the bombings at a McDonald's outlet and a car dealership are Agung Abdul Hamid, Bizbullah Rasyid, Dahlan and Mirjal. The building housing the car dealership belonged to Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Yusuf Kalla.

Meanwhile, chief prosecutor Hamzah Tadja, who received the suspects and the dossiers, said his office would immediately draw up the indictments.

"We are optimistic that the trial will start by the end of this month. We will pay more attention to this case because many people are waiting for the trial. This is an extraordinary case, so we are handling it carefully, instead of rushing in and making lots of mistakes," said Hamzah.

He explained that the five men who allegedly played major roles in the bombings would be charged with the illegal possession of explosives and murder. He said the prosecutors would demand that they be handed the death penalty.

"The charges are different for different suspects, depending on their involvement in the bombings. The harshest punishment is the death penalty," he added.

The local police plan to deploy around two companies of Mobile Brigade police to enhance security during the trial.

The Denpasar District Court is also expected to try later this month the suspects of the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali bombings, which killed more than 200 people, mostly foreigners, and injured more than 320 people.

The police claim that separate groups behind the Christmas Eve 2000 and 2002 blasts in the country were closely related to the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), of which Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is the spiritual leader. Ba'asyir is presently in police custody.