Two sentenced over embassy blast

JAKARTA (JP): A university student was sentenced to seven years in jail and a former military officer was given eight-years imprisonment for their role in the grenade explosion at the Malaysian embassy compound here last year.

Presiding judge M. Munawir of the South Jakarta District Court said that Iswadi H. Jamil, 30, a student of Syah Kuala University in Banda Aceh and Corp. Ibrahim Hasan, 31, were proven guilty beyond any doubt for the crimes.

Ibrahim, a former member of Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), was not present in the court as he escaped from the military police guard last month.

The court is also trying Ibrahim for his part in the Jakarta Stock Exchange bombing.

Munawir said Monday that Ibrahim bought two grenades for Rp 2 million in Bandung from a member of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) named Yuda, who is still at large.

The grenades were delivered to Jakarta by Ibrahim and Iswadi about a week before the grenade explosion in the grounds of the embassy.

Ibrahim then gave the grenades to Iwan Setiawan, who hurled the grenades into the embassy grounds, on Aug. 27, 2000.

No one was injured in the incident.

When presiding judge asked Iswadi whether or not he intended to appeal, the defendant started to pray in Arabic, asking God to reveal the truth as he felt that he was not guilty.

"I am telling you the truth, Your Honor. I am very disappointed since I am innocent. I am a university student who has good morals," said Iswadi, adding that he would appeal to the high court.

Prosecutor Suleman Hadjarati also said that he would appeal.

Last week, Iwan was sentenced to 15 years in jail for hurling the grenade into the embassy compound and another six years and four months for possessing another grenade. Two other men, Saifan and M. Mudin, were each sentenced to 12 years, 6 months in jail for their part in the grenade blast.(04)