Samudra to stand trial

Samudra to stand trial

DENPASAR, BALI: The alleged mastermind of the devastating
terrorist attack in Bali is expected to stand trial next week,
the Denpasar District Court said Wednesday.

Abdul Azis, alias Imam Samudra, will become the second suspect
after Amrozi to stand trial for the attacks after prosecutors
submitted his indictment to the court on Wednesday.

Samudra is charged with masterminding the Oct. 12, 2002 bomb
blasts on the resort island. The attack killed 202 people, mostly
foreigners.

"At the latest his trial will commence in one week," court
head I Made Karna said.

Along with the 43-page indictment, prosecutor I Nyoman Dila
handed over an Acer laptop, a detonator and a fragment of one of
the bombs that exploded in Batam on Christmas Eve in 2000 as
evidence.

The indictment said Samudra played a key role in bombings in
Bali, Serang, West Java and Batam.

Although Serang and Batam do not fall under Bali's
jurisdiction, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has
permitted the Bali Prosecutors' Office to include the cases in
the Bali bombing indictment.

"Therefore we will bring 15 witnesses from Batam and eight
from Serang to testify against Samudra," Bali Prosecutors' Office
spokesman Muhammad Salim said.

Samudra faces the death penalty under antiterrorism laws. --
JP

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Megawati awarded 500 blood donors
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Megawati honors 500 blood donors

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday awarded
medals to 500 people who have donated their blood more than 100
times.

The donors were conferred with Satyalencana medals, an award
for social work.

Megawati said donating blood could enhance brotherhood among
people, given the fact that donors never designated to whom their
blood should be given.

The president called on the rest of the nation to follow in
the footsteps of the donors.

The award presentation, an annual ceremony during Soeharto's
era, was suspended for four years due to the economic crisis.

Also attending the ceremony were Megawati's husband Taufik
Kiemas, Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Jusuf Kalla,
Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah and Indonesian Red
Cross (PMI) chairman Mari'e Muhammad. --JP

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Lack of cash slows Priok case probe
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Cash problem slows massacre prosecution

JAKARTA: The Attorney General's Office said on Wednesday that
it could not speed up the prosecution of those allegedly involved
in the 1984 Tanjung Priok massacre due to a lack of funds.

B.R. Pangaribuan, chief of the office's human rights working
unit, told the House of Representatives Commission II overseeing
legal affairs that the office was waiting for government funds to
proceed with the prosecutions in an ad hoc human rights tribunal.

"We have submitted the fund proposal to the Directorate
General of Budget, but they said we made mistakes in asking for
funds for both the Tanjung Priok and Abepura cases. They told us
to split the budget proposal," he said.

The Abepura case centers on alleged human rights abuses by
security officials against civilians in Papua.

The Tanjung Priok investigation has been completed, with
prosecutors naming 14 suspects. The Attorney General's Office has
appointed 16 ad hoc prosecutors, including four from the
military, to handle the case.

The incident took place on Sept. 12, 1984, when soldiers
opened fire on antigovernment protesters outside a mosque. The
National Commission on Human Rights said 33 were killed and 55
injured in the incident. -- JP

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Polri warns Malaysia over possible GAM infiltration
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Malaysia warned of GAM infiltration

JAKARTA: National Police have warned Malaysian Police to watch
out for Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists attempting to flee
to the neighboring country.

"We have asked them to increase their patrols along our sea
borders in an attempt to prevent GAM members from seeking safety
in the country," National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said
Wednesday.

He said he had spoken with his counterpart Tan Sri Norian May
of the possibility during his visit to Jakarta last week.

Police say GAM members could attempt to flee to Malaysia
through the Malacca Straits.

Da'i said police would also alert police from Singapore and
Thailand. -- JP

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PKB the only NU political link
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PKB the only NU political link

JAKARTA: National Awakening Party (PKB) patron Abdurrahman
Wahid asked on Wednesday that Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) members
channel their political energy to the party.

Underlining the fact that PKB was established by NU figures,
including himself, to accommodate the political aspirations of
members of the country's largest Muslim organization, Abdurrahman
said it was logical that NU used PKB as its political vehicle.

"It is true that PKB must follow NU directives, but NU members
should also perceive PKB as their political vehicle," the former
president and NU chairman said in Surabaya.

Major political parties such as Golkar and the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) have been eying NU
leaders as running mates for their respective presidential
candidates,

NU boasts 40 million supporters.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, was dismissed as
president in July 2001. --Antara