Militants appeal death sentences

Militants appeal death sentences

JAKARTA: Two militants sentenced to death for a bombing at the
Australian embassy filed appeals on Monday, their lawyer said.

Achmad Michdan registered the appeals at the South Jakarta
district court which issued the verdicts last week against Achmad
Hasan and Iwan Darmawan Mutho alias Rois.

Judges ruled there was enough evidence to convict Rois because
he told police Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had funded the
September 2004 van bombing which killed 12 Indonesians including
the suicide bomber.

The judges found Rois played key roles including recruiting
the suicide bomber and preparing safe houses for two fugitive
Malaysians, Noordin Mohammad Top and Azahari Husin.

Rois and Achmad are the first Indonesians sentenced to death
for terrorism since three Indonesian militants were ordered to
die for the Bali nightclub bombings, which killed 202 people
including 88 Australians in December 2002. -- AFP