An Indonesian Muslim teacher who named his son after the terrorist Osama bin Laden was convicted on Thursday of masterminding last year’s Bali nightclub bombings and sentenced to death by firing squad.
The panel of five judges in the heavily guarded but sparsely attended Balinese court found Ali Ghufron, better known as Mukhlas, ”guilty of planning a terrorist action”.
They said he had played a key leadership role in the almost simultaneous detonation of three bombs on the Indonesian resort island last year on October 12, which killed 202 people. This included selecting the targets, arranging the finances, organising planning meetings and coordinating many other details.
Mukhlas (43), from east Java, is the third person to be given the death penalty and 13 others have been imprisoned in connection with the world’s worst terrorist atrocity since the September 11 attacks on the United States.
His conviction concludes the trials of the main plotters caught so far. More than a dozen alleged minor accomplices are awaiting trial, and two men thought to have built the bombs remain at large.
Mukhlas smiled as he was led into court, smiled during much of proceedings and yelled ”Allahu Akbar” (God is most great) several times after announcing he would appeal.
”The verdict is not in line with Islamic teachings,” he said.
The judges said there were no mitigating factors when considering their decision because Mukhlas had showed no remorse during the trial. Shortly after being arrested he confessed to taking part in the attack but later withdrew the statement, alleging it had been tortured out of him.
He used the trial as a stage to condemn repeatedly the US, its President, George Bush, and Israel, calling them the world’s terrorists. He has promised to write a book about jihad, or holy struggle.
One of the Australian spectators in the court, Jan Laczynski, said Thursday’s verdict would bring a sense of closure to many people. Eighty-eight Australians were killed in the attack, the country’s highest death toll in a single incident since World War II.
”In many ways this is the most important fortnight for Australia because we will get a sense of closure,” he said. ”The four key players are out of the way now and we look forward to the [memorial] ceremonies on October 12.”
Australia, which usually condemns the death penalty, said it would not protest against the sentence.
”The verdict again sends a strong signal to terrorists the world over that the international community will not sit back and allow them to strike with impunity,” a foreign ministry spokesman said.
A group representing the 26 British fatalities has said it is ”devastated” by the death penalties, believing the men will only become martyrs for their cause.
Mukhlas, a veteran of the 1980s conflict in Afghanistan, claims he got to know Bin Laden quite well and was for an unspecified time a senior leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the south-east Asian Islamist terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda.
He was not charged with any JI-related offences and many Indonesians believe the organisation does not exist. Last month one of the country’s most prominent militant clerics, Abu Bakar Ba’aysir, was acquitted of being JI’s spiritual leader, although he was convicted of plotting to topple the government.
Indonesia is keen to prosecute the most senior alleged JI operative yet to be caught, Riduan Isamuddin — known as Hambali — who was arrested in Thailand last month and is in US custody at a secret location. Hambali, who was regarded as JI’s main link to al-Qaeda, is also thought to have played a key planning role in the Bali bombing.
Paying the price
More than 35 people were arrested for allegedly taking part in the Bali bombings.
Three sentenced to death:
Ali Ghufron (Mukhlas), mastermind, key planner and self-confessed senior member of Jemaah Islamiyah Islamist terrorist group.
Imam Samudra, field operations commander.
Amrozi bin Nurhasyhim, ”smiling bomber” and Mukhlas’ younger brother. Supplied van used for main bomb and most chemicals. First appeal already rejected.
Another brother, Ali Imron, middle-ranking member of team, sentenced to life imprisonment, after expressing remorse.
Twelve others convicted and sentenced to seven to 16 years’ imprisonment. Those still awaiting trial considered minor accomplices.
Two alleged main bomb makers, Dulmatin and Dr Azahari Husin, a Reading University-trained explosives expert, remain at large.
Alleged spiritual mentor Abu Bakar Ba’aysir, not formally linked to plot but convicted of seeking to topple government and sentenced to four years. — Guardian Unlimited Â