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Court convicts 9 on terror charges
Nine terror suspects were sentenced to prison for between eight and nine years on Thursday for planning to murder foreigners and for running a terrorist training camp in Aceh
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ine terror suspects were sentenced to prison for between eight and nine years on Thursday for planning to murder foreigners and for running a terrorist training camp in Aceh.
The nine were Laode Afif aka Hadid, Mukhtar Kahairi aka Umar Bin Fasihin, Maskyur Rahmat bin Mahmud, Muchsin Kamal aka Zulkifli, Surya Achda aka Abu Semak Belukar, Hasbuddin aka Abu Azzam, Deni Sulaiman aka Sule, Rahmadi Nowo Kuncoro aka Usyak As Syahid and Agus Kasdianto aka Hasan aka Musaf bin Nasim.
“They are guilty of terrorist acts,” presiding judge Supeno said as quoted by detik.com news portal.
The sentences were less than the 12 years’ imprisonment sought by prosecutors. Supeno said the sentences were justified by the polite behavior of the defendants in court and their lack of prior criminal convictions.
Laode, Mukhtar, Maskyur and Muchsin were accused of planning to assault and murder foreigners working for some of the many NGOs operating in Aceh after the 2004 tsunami.
Surya, Hasbuddin, Deni and Rahmadi were arrested in connection with a terrorist training camp that operated near Mount Bun in Aceh.
Agus Kasdianto was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, one year more than his accomplices, Supeno said, since he was a repeat offender.
The nine men were part of a group of 71 suspected terrorists arrested by the National Police in a series of raids that began in February in Sumatra and Java.
According to the police, the terrorist training camp was run by Jama’ah Anshorut Tauhid, a militant group led by firebrand Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, who was himself arrested in August.
The court ordered the destruction of all evidence confiscated during the trial, including an AK-47 assault rifle, 312 bullets, two FN revolvers, a telescope and a CD about the Bali bomb terrorists.
Prosecutor Bambang S. said that his team did not accept the sentences and would consider appealing.
Also on Thursday, prosecutors demanded that the Depok District Court in West Java sentence former National Police officer Sofyan Tsauri to 15 years’ imprisonment on terror charges.
“We’re seeking 15 years for Sofyan Tsauri,” prosecutor Rini Gartati said as quoted by Antara news agency.
The defendant was accused of trading firearms with help from fellow police officers Ahmad Sutrisno and Barimbing, who were stationed in a warehouse in Cipinang, East Jakarta, at the time.
Rini said that Sofyan supplied weapons, such as an AK-47 assault rifle engraved with Arabic script that Rini showed the court, to Dulmatin’s terror network.
According to Sofyan’s attorney, Nurlan A.R., prosecutors had not made a strong enough case to send his client to prison.
The trial will continue on Jan. 12 to hear the defendant’s plea.
The West Jakarta District Court issued on Thursday a guilty verdict in a terrorism case that implicated a member of the Islam Defenders Front.
Mukhtar bin Ibrahim was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for among other charges, throwing a live grenade at a UNICEF office in Banda Aceh in March 2009.
In November 2009, Mukhtar also shot Erhard Bauer in the head, nearly killing the German Red Cross team member, and also fired several shots into the home of two US citizens who working as lecturers in Aceh.
“The defendant has been found guilty of terrorism,” presiding judge Supeno said as reported by detik.com news portal.
“The defendant’s acts were a threat to foreigners, spreading fear so that the victims did not want to go to Aceh anymore.”
The judge said Mukhtar received a lighter sentence than demanded by prosecutors due to polite behavior, a full confession and lack of prior convictions. (rch)
