Prosecutors seek one-year term for militant

Prosecutors seek one-year term for militant

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A state prosecutor demanded on Thursday former leader of
Laskar Jihad Ja'far Umar Thalib be sentenced to one year in jail
for his incitement of public hatred and provocation of people to
fight against the government.

Prosecutor Slamet Rijanto told the East Jakarta court that
Ja'far had insulted the government of President Megawati during a
speech before 2,500 people at the Al Fatah Mosque, Ambon, Maluku,
on April 26.

"Ja'far told the audience that the government had dallied with
the separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS) movement for three
years.

"This is similar to the action of her father, who refused to
dissolve the Communist Party, despite the latter's coup on Sept.
30, 1965," he quoted Ja'far as saying.

According to him, Ja'far declared that since that day, there
would be no Malino peace agreement as parties to the agreement
had even raised the RMS flag.

Ja'far also provoked Muslim groups not to reconcile with the
Christian community, according to Slamet.

"Ja'far said that from that day (April 26) there would only be
a war in Maluku, and he told the audience to save their money to
make bombs," Slamet said.

"...this was aimed at replacing or overthrowing the legitimate
government," he added.

The prosecutor accused Ja'far of violating one of three
articles in the Criminal Code about allegiance to the government:
Articles 154, 136, and 160, which carry a maximum sentence of
seven years in jail.

The charge against Ja'far was primarily based on a tape
recording by police intelligence and was supported by a number of
witnesses.

However, under the regulation, a tape recording could not be
used in evidence against the defendants.

Ja'far denied such an allegation, saying he had not incited
the congregation at Al Fatah Mosque to fight against the
government.

"I'm not guilty at all. I never said such things," Ja'far told
reporters after the trial.

The court was adjourned by presiding Judge Mansyur Nasution to
Jan. 9 to hear the defendant's statement.