Issue: RI court gives Umar Patek 20-year term

June 21, online

An Indonesian militant accused of helping to build a massive car bomb used in the deadly 2002 Bali nightclub attacks has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Known as “Demolition Man”, Umar Patek is a leading member of the al-Qaeda-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah. He was found guilty by the West Jakarta District Court of violating the country’s anti-terror law.

In Thursday’s ruling, the five-member judge panel also convicted 45-year-old Patek for his role in the Jakarta church attacks on Christmas Eve in 2000 that killed 19.

Patek is the last of the main suspects in the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali resort island attacks that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians and seven Americans.

Your comments:

Here we see the usual disconnect between crime and punishment. I recall the 15-year sentence meted out to a man who stole 15 meters of cable belonging to PLN in Kupang. Stealing a pair of sandals will get you two years in prison. Twenty years for killing 220 innocent people should be punished commensurately with the death penalty.
Henry Manoe

Wow, US expats watch where we are going now. I cannot believe how stupid the law can be. He will be out in about five years anyway with pardons and remissions. Come to Indonesia, kill 220 people and get maybe 5 years in jail?
Terry Couch

Only 20 years? The Indonesian government should give an explanation to the families of the victims. This man will still be able to “preach” to his followers and will even still be able to make bombs to kill more innocent people.
Angela

Why jail him and use up resources that he does not deserve and that Indonesia does not have available? I say execute him before a firing squad. Let it be a warning to all that terrorism will not be tolerated anywhere in the world.
Tony Sampano

An Indonesian Constitutional Court judge recently stated that smuggling drugs was worse than terrorism. This 20-year sentence for a murderous terrorist proves how twisted the judicial system is in Indonesia.

The constitutional judge’s statement must have influenced the five judges from the West Jakarta Court. Twenty years, the same as a convicted drug smuggler.

Exile Patek to a remote island away from our world. He will have plenty of time to read and understand the true meaning of the holy book. We don’t want filth like him in Indonesia.
Baz Act

For being involved in the making of bombs that killed over 200 innocent people and for being involved in the bombing of a church that killed 19 people you give an Indonesian terrorist 20 years so that he can sit in prison and plan more bombings.

And you give the death penalty to people, innocent or not, for carrying drugs.

I wonder, what if the bomb was placed in Java and it killed hundreds of people? Would Umar Patek get 20 years or death?

This is shameful and a is sad day for true justice in Indonesia.
Mark Ulyseas

He should be sentenced to death!
Peter Vance