Police make new arrests in Bali probe

Police make new arrests in Bali probe

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police said on Thursday they had made two more arrests in connection with this month's suicide bombings in Bali, a day after an angry crowd stormed the island's main jail to demand speedy executions for those convicted for the 2002 blasts.

It was not clear whether those arrested on Wednesday in Banten province on the island of Java were believed to have been directly involved in the attacks on the crowded restaurants, which killed 20 people plus the three bombers.

"The two men in Banten were detained for questioning for seven days," AFP quoted police spokesman for the Bali investigation Soenarko D. Ardanto.

In Jakarta, National Police spokesman Arianto Budiharjo confirmed the arrests and said that the first suspect in the bombings, who was detained on Sunday, had been released because he was found to have no links with the case.

News of the fresh arrests emerged after a public display of anger and frustration in Bali, where officials and relatives of the dead gathered on Wednesday to commemorate the third anniversary of the 2002 bombings.

A crowd of more than 1,000 ripped down the large steel gates that guarded Kerobokan prison and demanded that the three key bombers on death row -- Amrozi, Mukhlas and Imam Samudra -- be executed.

The three were sentenced to death by firing squad for the 2002 nightclub bombings which killed 202 people and dealt tourism on the resort island a heavy blow.

Meanwhile, the prosecutors office in Denpasar has picked Bali as the location to carry out the execution against Amrozi, Mukhlas and Imam, a condition demanded by many Balinese, newsportal detik.com quoted Denpasar District Court chief Nengah Suryada as saying on Thursday.

But Nengah said the authorities had yet to decide on the schedule for the execution as they must first obtain written statements from the three whether they would request for clemency from the President.

Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said on Thursday he was informed that Imam Samudra and Amrozi would not seek presidential clemency, while Mukhlas had not yet made up his mind.

However, Abdul Rahman said that under the new legislation, their families could file requests for clemency on their behalf, so prosecutors must wait for the decisions of the families before carrying out the executions.

"Right now we are trying to get formal statements from their families stating whether they will seek clemency or not," he said.

He said there were only two legal options available to the death-row bombers -- requesting clemency and seeking Supreme Court reviews of their sentences -- after the Supreme Court turned down their appeals four days ago.

However, Mahendratta, a lawyer of the convicted Bali bombers, said he had not discussed the possibilities with his clients yet.

"I don't believe what the Attorney General said, that Amrozi and Imam will not apply for clemency. That's just what he says. Myself and the other lawyers will discuss this matter with the three," he told The Jakarta Post.

The three convicts were transferred to the maximum security Nusakambangan prison island in Central Java from Kerobokan Prison, a day before Wednesday's attack on the Bali jail.

"I will send a team to Nusakambangan to talk about this matter after Idul Fitri. I think they'll consider this matter carefully," Mahendratta said.

As for the question of a case review, he said he would also discuss it with the three.