Victims testify over church blast

JAKARTA: Two victims of the Santa Anna Catholic Church bombing appeared at the East Jakarta District Court on Tuesday to testify against Nor Misuari alias Nurdin, the Malaysian who is standing trial for allegedly supplying explosives for the bombing.

Congregation member Bernardus Setiawan and the church's clerk Luciano Budinasko, told the court that they had suffered lifelong injuries in the July 22, 2001, blast in which one person was killed and 60 people attending the mass injured.

However, both Luciano and Bernardus reportedly failed to come up with testimonies that were convincing enough to prove that Nurdin was the perpetrator.

The defendant was charged with the illegal possession and use of explosives. If convicted, Nurdin could face the firing squad.

Nurdin said he merely gave fugitive Asep alias Abdullah, a ride to the church. He said that Abdullah had planted the bomb. "I don't know if he had intended to blow up the church. I don't know anything," he said.

The trial was adjourned until Nov. 18 to hear the testimonies of more witnesses.