Trial of terror suspect opens in Riau

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Pekanbaru District Court on Tuesday opened the trial of a man charged with the bombing of a church on Christmas Eve in 2000 in Riau province, which killed five people and injured 21 others.

The defendant, Zuflius bin Yunus alias Datuk Rajo Ameh alias Muchtar Tanjung, could face the death penalty if convicted of being involved in the attack on the HKBP Protestant Church in Pekanbaru city.

Prosecutors told the trial at the Dharma Wanita Building that Zuflius was guilty of bombing the church on Jl. Hang Tuah on Christmas Eve, Antara reported.

The defendant was also accused of storing chemicals at his shop-houses on Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Tuanku Tambusai, which were later used to produce the explosives.

After the prosecutors read out their charges, presiding judge Zahrul Rabani gave Zuflius' lawyers an opportunity to respond.

However, the lawyers asked the court to adjourn the trial, which was attended by only around 20 people.

Zahrul later adjourned the trial until May 12 to hear defense pleas.

The blast, which also seriously damaged the church and some 10 surrounding buildings, was part of a nationwide series of attacks on churches and clergymen that was blamed on the Al Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiyah, in which a total of 19 people were killed.

Jamaah Islamiyah has also been held responsible for the Bali bombings that killed at least 202 people, mostly Western tourists, on Oct. 12, 2002, and another terror attack on JW Marriott Hotel on Aug. 5 last year, which claimed the lives of 13 people.

Most of the terror suspects in the Bali tragedy have been convicted with some, including Imam Samudra, Amrozi and Ali Gufron, being sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

The National Police rearrested last week elderly cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the alleged spiritual leader of JI, for questioning about terrorist offenses.