Patek's family await Patek's sentencing
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Jakarta | Thu, June 21 2012, 3:56 PM
Suspected terrorist of 2002 Bali bombings. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
Umar Patek's family members were at the West Jakarta District Court to hear the suspected terrorist mastermind's sentencing on Thursday.
They included Edi Purwanto, Patek's younger brother, and Andhika Zaka Mulya, a junior high school student who says he is the defendant’s cousin. Both of them avoided talking to reporters, tribunnews.com reported.
Patek has been charged on six counts, including smuggling rifles into the country and training others to use them. He has also been charged for his alleged role in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
Prosecutors have demanded that Patek be given a life sentence for his alleged role in the Bali bombings.
Patek, who was arrested last year in Pakistan, has denied playing a major role in assembling the massive car bomb that was the largest bomb used in the Bali attacks.
He said that job fell to Jamaah Islamiyah bomb-making masterminds Azahari bin Husin and Dulmatin, both of whom have since been killed in police raids.
The West Jakarta District Court is being safeguarded by 243 security personnel during Patek's sentencing, including a Mobile Brigade unit and riot police, kompas.com reports. (png)
