Verdict in Bali bombing case due Sept 10
( 2003-08-14 14:30) (Agencies)
An Indonesian court will hand down a verdict for the alleged mastermind of the Bali blast on Sept. 10, a judge said Thursday.
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A security man checks the handbags of tourists entering a bar in Kuta on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, August 7, 2003. Security has been heightened following a bombing attack on Bali nightspots in October 2002 that killed 202 people. Tourism is making a slow recovery in Bali, but remains well below activity levels one year ago. [Reuters]
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Imam Samudra, 33, a textiles merchant and computer expert, is charged with organizing the Oct. 12 attack, which killed 202 people. If found guilty, he faces the death penalty.
Last week, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim became the first of more than 30 suspects in the case to be convicted. He was sentenced to be executed by firing squad and is now appealing his conviction.
On Thursday, prosecutors urged judges at the Denpasar District Court to reject Samudra's repeated denials that he played a key role in the attack.
"We ask the judge to give Imam Samudra the death sentence," prosecutor Nyoman Dila said, to which Samudra responded with shouts of "God is great."
Presiding Judge I Wayan Sugawa said the court planned to announce its verdict on Sept. 10.
Police say the 35 people arrested over the blasts were members of or had links with Jemaah Islamiyah, a regional terrorist network affiliated with al-Qaida.
Jemaah Islamiyah has also been blamed for the Aug. 5 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, in which 12 people were killed.
On Thursday, the Media Indonesia newspaper said police have arrested nine people in connection with the Marriott bombing. However, national police spokesman Zainuri Lubis said he had no information on any arrests.
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