P

rosecutors demanded on Thursday an eight-year prison sentence for alleged bomb-maker Muhammad Thoriq for terrorism.

The prosecutors accused Thoriq of violating Article 15 of the 2003 Law on Antiterrorism, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

“We demand the court to sentence Muhammad Thoriq alias Alex to eight years in prison,” prosecutor Rini Hartartie told the bench at the West Jakarta District Court on Thursday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

The prosecutors cited mitigating factors that influenced Thoriq’s decision to surrender and his cooperative attitude during the investigation.

Thoriq turned himself into the police in September last year after being on the run for five days. He was allegedly involved in a bombing in Beji district, Depok, just south of Jakarta.

Thoriq’s identity as a bomb-maker was accidentally revealed when his mother split open a container of powder at his home in Gang Terate VII, Jembatan Lima, Tambora. The powder filled the air and caught their neighbors attention, who thought the house was on fire.

Thoriq managed to escape shortly after as his neighbors broke into the house, leaving his wife, mother and infant son behind. However, Achyar, Thoriq’s lawyer, said prosecutors’ demand was too harsh. “We hope the judges consider that the defendant turned himself in,” he said.