INDONESIA: COURT BEGINS PROCEEDINGS AGAINST AN ALLEGED SENIOR MUSLIM MILITANT IN THE JEMAAH ISLAMIAH NETWORK BELIEVED TO HAVE MASTERMINDED BALI BOMBING

Record ID: 648168

  • Title: INDONESIA: COURT BEGINS PROCEEDINGS AGAINST AN ALLEGED SENIOR MUSLIM MILITANT IN THE JEMAAH ISLAMIAH NETWORK BELIEVED TO HAVE MASTERMINDED BALI BOMBING
  • Date: 17th June 2003
  • Summary: (W3) DENPASAR, BALI (JUNE 16, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF COURT ROOM; SLV POLICE STANDING; MV SECURITY CHECKS TAKING PLACE OUTSIDE COURTROOM (3 SHOTS) 0.13 2. SLV POLICE TRUCKS DRIVING IN 0.22 3. MV MUKHLAS BEING TAKEN INTO COURTROOM AND SEATED; MV MUKHLAS SCREAMING "ALLAH IS THE GREATEST"; MV MUKHLAS TESTIFYING (3 SHOTS) 0.48 4. SLV AUDIENCE 0.52 5. MV PROSECUTOR READING OUT CHARGES; MV MUKHLAS SEATED IN COURTROOM; MV PAN FROM AUDIENCE TO JUDGES (4 SHOTS) 1.29 6. SCU POLICEMAN STANDING; MV JUDGES WALKING IN; MV CHIEF JUDGE HAKIM KETUA ANNOUNCING SESSION OPEN 2.28 7. MV AMROZI BEING BROUGHT IN BY POLICE; MV AMROZI SPEAKING; SCU AUDIENCE (3 SHOTS) 2.54 8. MV STUART ANSTEE TAKING A SEAT ON WITNESS STAND AND BEING SWORN IN; MV ANSTEE DURING QUESTIONING (4 SHOTS) 3.11 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STUART ANSTEE SAYING "When I woke up I noticed blood spurting from my neck and my leg and my left arm. I saw many dead bodies inside and outside the Sari Club. 3.35 10. MV AUDIENCE 3.40 11. MV SECOND WITNESS, JASON McCARTNEY ENTERING COURT ROOM AND BEING SWORN IN (4 SHOTS) 4.13 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: DENPASAR, BALI, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVAAWM2LTAN66Y3KJ6B4B78E6JK1
  • Story Text: An Indonesian court began proceedings against an
    alleged senior Muslim militant in the Jemaah Islamiah network
    who has bragged about his ties to Osama bin Laden and is
    believed to be the mastermind of last year's Bali bombings.

    The court then called in Australian witnesses to testify
    in the trial of Amrozi, the 40-year-old Muslim militant
    charged with helping to plot the attacks.

    Security was tight in Denpasar, Bali on June 16
    (Monday) as the trial of the deadly bombings that killed over
    200 people last year begun.

    An Indonesian Muslim militant, Mukhlas also known as Ali
    Gufron, who fought in Afghanistan, is on trial for his life as
    the key organiser of last year's bombings. Mukhlas has said he
    targeted the holiday island because it was popular with "white
    people".

    Reading the indictment of Mukhlas at the opening of the
    trail, prosecutor Putu Indriati said the blasts were part of a
    plan to wage war on the United States and that the defendant
    doled out at least $30,500 U.S dollars to various suspects to
    buy explosive materials and a mini-van that was turned into a
    massive car bomb.

    Mukhlas, 43-years-old, has been charged with plotting,
    organising and carrying out terror crimes. He faces the death
    penalty if convicted.

    Indriati said Mukhlas met bin Laden in Afghanistan in 1987
    while the defendant spent three years there helping fight
    Soviet forces. Mukhlas has already said he knew bin Laden
    well.

    The first foreign witness to be called by prosecutors on
    Monday (June 16) was Australian survivor Stuart Anstee,
    24-years-old, from Tasmania - who took the stand in the trial
    of Mukhlas' associate Amrozi.

    Describing the scene of devastation and suffering to the
    court, Anstee said he blacked out for several minutes after a
    huge car bomb ripped through the Sari Club where he was
    partying with five friends.

    Three of them died.

    "When I woke up I noticed blood spurting from my neck and
    my leg and my left arm. I saw many dead bodies inside and
    outside the Sari Club," a composed Anstee, his hands clasped
    tightly in his lap, said.

    He said he saw around 150 dead and wounded foreigners.

    The second witness to testify was another Australian Jason
    McCartney, 29-years-old, from Melbourne, a former Australian
    rules football player.


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