Marriott accomplice sentenced to 10 years
Marriott accomplice sentenced to 10 years
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The South Jakarta District Court sentenced on Thursday defendant
Tohir, alias Masrizal bin Ali Umar, alias Mas'ud, to 10 years in
prison for his role in last year's deadly bomb attack on the JW
Marriott hotel, South Jakarta.
Reading out the verdict, presiding judge Sri Mulyani said that
the defendant had been found guilty as charged of violating
Article 1 of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 1/2002, as
amended by Law No. 15/2003 on terrorism, for committing "a
violent act of terror that caused fear among the public and
claimed a substantial number of victims."
The Aug. 5, 2003, suicide bomb attack on the hotel claimed the
lives of 11 Indonesians -- mostly taxi drivers -- and one Dutch
banker. The blast injured 147 others.
The sentence was the same as that sought by the prosecution.
Judge Mulyani said the defendant was guilty because he
provided lodgings and vehicles for the other perpetrators of the
attack and helped them prepare the explosive materials for the
bomb.
The defendant, she added, also took part in surveying the
target before the attack.
The court, however, declared Tohir not guilty of the primary
charge of violating Article 6 of the Antiterrorism Law for his
direct involvement in the bombing, and Article 14 for involvement
in the planning of the attack.
"The defendant did not commit such crimes, as he was only
following orders from the group's leader," said Judge Mulyani.
The Marriott bombing was allegedly masterminded by Malaysians
Noordin M. Top and Dr. Azahari, both of whom are reportedly
members of the Jamaah Islamiyah regional terrorist group. Both
are still at large and have managed to elude several arrest
attempts.
The police recently detained nine men in Bali, Central Java
and East Java for allegedly withholding information on the two's
whereabouts.
The court took into consideration that the defendant admitted
his crimes and showed remorse during the trial.
Both the defendant and the prosecution said they would
consider whether to appeal the ruling within a week, as provided
by the court.
Tohir is the 14th suspect in the Marriott case to be
sentenced. The others were sentenced to between three and 10
years.
Late last month, the same court sentenced Mohamad Ihsan, alias
Jhoni Hendrawan, alias Idris, to 10 years in prison for abetting
the bombers.
Another Marriott suspect, Ismail alias Ikhwan, is awaiting a
verdict in his trial, in which the prosecution has demanded a 12-
year prison term, also for abetting in the attack.