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.