Swift prosecution of bombers sets an example

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

In a series of trials that involved at least 32 senior judges, 80 prosecutors and a 2,000-strong security detail, the Indonesian judicial system proved that it could act swiftly and aggressively against the terrorist network responsible for the Bali bombings.

One year after the bombings, the Denpasar district court had sentenced a total of 21 terrorists. Three of them received death sentences while the rest were punished with jail terms, ranging from life in prison to three years in jail.

Eight suspected terrorists are currently on trial and four others are awaiting their first trial sessions.

The 33 convicted and suspected terrorists were arrested during the most extensive investigation and manhunt conducted by the National Police. Involving hundreds of detectives, aided by state-of-the-art crime technology and expertise provided by various international crime-fighting agencies, including the Australian's federal and state police and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the dragnet spread over the neighboring islands of Java, Madura, Lombok and as far away as the remote island of Berukang in East Kalimantan.

The operation started a few days after the Oct. 12, 2002, explosions destroyed two popular nightspots in Kuta and killed at least 202 people, mostly foreigners.

Today, the police are still hunting for four main suspects: Umar Kecil alias Patek, Dulmatin, Zulkarnaen and a Malaysian national, Azahari alias Alan, who is believed to be the chief assembler of the bombs.

The police arrested the first main suspect, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, less than a month after the bombings. Brought to trial on May 12, 2003, he was sentenced to death on Aug. 7, the first such sentence meted out under the new law on terrorism.

Amrozi, dubbed the "smiling bomber" for his sometimes confounding penchant for grinning, was found guilty of "planning, conspiring, organizing and executing a terrorist attack". It was Amrozi who bought the necessary explosive materials and the minivan later transformed into a car bomb.

Around one month later, presiding judge I Wayan Sugawa handed down the same sentence to Imam Samudra alias Abdul Azis, the field coordinator of the bombing. He was also held responsible for the Christmas Eve bombings of four churches in Batam in 2000.

Eight days later, Amrozi's younger brother Ali Imron alias Alik was sentenced to life imprisonment. The sentence was much more severe than the 20 years in prison demanded by the prosecutors.

Although Ali Imron had shown remorse over his action and asked for forgiveness, the judges considered that 20 years in prison was too light a sentence for a man who drove the car bomb into Kuta, placed the small bomb near the U.S. consular office in Renon and was also involved in church bombings at Christmas Eve in Mojokerto, East Java, in 2000.

On Oct. 2, another main suspect was sentenced to death. Presiding judge Tjokorda Rai Suamba sentenced Ali Gufron alias Muklas to death for his role in "planning and organizing a terrorist attack".

Muklas was believed to have played a vital role in convincing Arnasan and Iqbal to carry out the suicide bombings. Iqbal wore the vest rigged with explosives and blew himself up in the Paddy's Pub while Arnasan exploded along with the minivan that he parked in front of the packed Sari Club.

Unlike the main perpetrators of the bombings, the accomplices generally received lighter sentences.

Masykur bin Abdul Kadir received a 15-year prison sentence for his role in assisting Imam Samudra to find a rented room in Denpasar.

Known as the Serang Group, which was responsible for staging a jewelry store robbery to raise money for the bombings, Abdul Rauf, Andri Octavia, Andi Hidayat and Junaedi have received prison sentences ranging from 15 years to 18 years.

Meanwhile, the members of the Solo Group, which was responsible for assisting and providing hiding places for the bombing perpetrators, received prison sentences ranging from four years to 12 years. They were identified as Ahmad Budi Wibowo, Herlambang, Hernianto, Muhammad Najib Nawawi, Makmuri, Muhammad Musyafak and Bambang Setiono.

The members of the East Kalimantan Group, responsible for assisting Ali Imron in finding a hiding place, were punished with prison sentences ranging from three to seven years. They were identified as Eko Hadi Prasetyo, Puryanto, Hamzah Baya, Muhammad Yunus and Sukastopo bin Kartomiharjo.

Seven other alleged members of this group, identified as Muhammad Firmansyah, Muhajir, Mujarod, Syamsul Arifin, Imam Susanto, Sirojul Munir and Sofyan Hadi, are still on trial.