Prosecutor demands death sentence for JSX bombing suspect

JAKARTA (JP): An auto repair shop owner is facing a possible death sentence for allegedly masterminding last year's bombing of the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building, which killed 10 people and injured 46 others.

The sentence request was presented on Monday by prosecutor Endang Rachwan during the trial of Tengku Ismuhadi Jafar, 30, and his employee Nuryadin, alias Nadin, 29, in South Jakarta District Court.

Nuryadin, who escaped from prison last month, is facing a possible life sentence for assembling and delivering the bomb to the JSX building.

The prosecutor told the court, which was presided over by judge Rusman Dhani Achmad, that the defendants had violated Article 1 paragraph 1 of Emergency Law No. 12/1951 for possessing and using ammunitions or explosive material.

That the defendants had ruined national stability, caused public disorder and had given conflicting statements were some factors which strengthened the sentence request, according to the prosecutor.

Jafar, who looked calm during the trial, said that basically there was nothing he could do but leave the decision to the judges.

However, he insisted that he was not involved in the JSX bombing and that he rejected the sentence.

When asked about the death sentence demand, Jafar remarked, "Everyone is afraid to face death, but if the judges decide so, is there anything I can do?"

The JSX bombing, which took place on Sept. 13, 2000 shocked the public, since it happened in the national financial center. The rupiah weakened against the dollar afterward, reaching Rp 11,000 from a previous Rp 9,000.

According to the prosecutor, on Sept. 12 the defendant withdrew Rp 200 million from the Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, branch of Bank BNI to buy dollars.

High explosive bombs, which contained TNT (trinitrotoluene) and RDX (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine), were used in the JSX building blast, according to the prosecutor.

Jafar, the owner of Krung Baro auto repair shop in Ciganjur, South Jakarta and Nuryadin, allegedly committed the JSX bombing along with at least six other alleged accomplices, namely, Ibrahim Abdul Wahab, Ibrahim Hasan, Irwan, Sayed Mustofa, Tengku Rayang Rayang and Zulfkifli.

Ibrahim Abdul Wahab escaped jail in February while Ibrahim Hasan, a member of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), managed to escape in July.

Two other defendants, Nuryadin and a member of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) Chief Sgt. Irwan, tried to escape from Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta on July, 28. Nuryadin held a guard at gunpoint with a grenade in his hand, while the other suspect also held a grenade. However, only Nuryadin managed to get away, while Irwan was arrested.

The case will be adjourned until next Monday to hear the defense from both the defendant and his lawyer, Paskalis Pieter. (04)