Prosecutors demanded a 16-year prison sentence for Syahrial Alamsyah, aka Abu Rara, 12 years for his wife Fitri Diana and seven years for Samsudin during a hearing on June 11.

“The defendants’ lawyers are set to read their defense plea on Thursday, which will then be followed by the verdict hearing,” West Jakarta District Court spokesperson Eko Aryanto said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

Prosecutors indicted Syahrial for allegedly launching a premeditated attack against Wiranto in Pandeglang, Banten, on Oct. 10, 2019. 

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Prosecutor Herry said the defendant had been concerned that he would be placed on the police’s most-wanted list for being affiliated with Islamic State group-linked homegrown militant group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), driving him to retaliate against authorities.

“[The defendant] felt that his life would have been useless if he hadn’t carried out a jihad in form of an assault against authorities,” Herry said during the hearing.

One day before the attack, Fitria heard helicopters flying over their rented house in Pandeglang and thought that the authorities had been actively hunting them down.

After finding out that Wiranto was set to visit the region the following day, Syahrial persuaded his wife and child to plan an attack on the state official.

On Oct. 10, Syahrial went to Menes Square and proceeded to stab Wiranto in the abdomen with a sharp weapon. Meanwhile, Fitria attacked from behind and injured one of the minister’s adjutants.

Wiranto was rushed to Berkah Pandeglang General Hospital after the assault. He sustained two stab wounds on the lower parts of his abdomen. (rfa)