Two men jailed over arms sale

BANDUNG (JP): The Bandung District Court sentenced on Thursday two people to 13 and 14 years in prison, respectively, for supplying arms to the group responsible for last year's Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) bombing which left 10 people dead.

Subhan Budiyanto, who received a 13-year sentence, and Muhammad Ali, who was sentenced to 14 years, were found guilty of violating Emergency Law No. 12/1957 on the possession and distribution of firearms and ammunition. The two were also found guilty of the possession of marijuana.

When the two defendants were arrested, police found 17,992 bullets and six pen guns and Beretta pistols.

Another man, Dinan Sabardiman, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week on the same charges.

Ali said he would appeal the verdict: "I've been treated unfairly. I should have only received five or six years."

Subhan said he would consider the verdict and decide next week whether to file an appeal.

In another courtroom, Aceng Suhari bin Dahuri, 53, and Iqbal, 40, who are on trial for the Christmas Eve bombings in Bandung last year, have asked the court to throw out their indictments.

Aceng's lawyer, Nawawi, said police questioned his client without his lawyer present, and that during questioning a police officer bit Aceng's left ear. (25/dja)