State demands 10 years for bomb accomplice

State demands 10 years for bomb accomplice

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Prosecutors demanded on Tuesday a 10-year prison sentence for
defendant Tohir, alias Masrizal bin Ali Umar alias Mas'ud, for
his alleged involvement in last year's bombing of the JW Marriott
Hotel, South Jakarta.

In a hearing on Tuesday at the South Jakarta District Court,
prosecutor Bimo Budi Santoso said that Tohir, 30, had assisted
the masterminds of the attack, Malaysians Noordin M. Top and Dr.
Azahari, in obtaining the explosives used in the bombing, which
killed 12 people -- mostly taxi drivers and a Dutch banker -- and
injured 147 others.

Noordin and Azahari -- both of whom are still at large -- are
thought to be among the leading figures of the al-Qaeda-linked
Jamaah Islamiyah militant group. JI has also been accused of
being responsible for the Bali bombings in 2002 that killed 202
people, mostly foreign tourists.

The prosecution also accused Tohir, who reportedly underwent
military training in a militant camp in the Philippines, of
surveying other potential targets, such as foreign banks and
international schools.

In his testimony, Tohir confessed to the accusations and
showed remorse.

"The defendant has therefore violated articles 1 and 6 of
government regulation in lieu of law No. 1/2002, as amended by
Law No. 15/2003 on terrorism," Bimo said.

The law carries a maximum sentence of death.

The prosecution has also charged Tohir of violating Article 1
of Law No. 12/1951 on states of emergency for the illegal
possession and transporting of explosives as well as for
deliberately conducting an act of violence to spread fear among
the public.

Upon hearing the prosecutor's sentence demand, Tohir pleaded
for leniency from the panel of judges, explaining that he had
only been obeying orders by Noordin and that he was his family's
sole bread winner.

Presiding judge Sri Mulyani adjourned the trial until Aug. 23
to hear the defense statement.