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Indonesian militant jailed for 20 years for role in Bali bombings

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Umar Patek was convicted of helping build the car bomb used in the 2002 Bali nightclub attacks that left 202 people dead

An Indonesian militant has been convicted of helping to build the massive car bomb used in the deadly 2002 Bali nightclub attacks and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Umar Patek, 45, known as "Demolition Man", was the last main defendant in the case. A leading member of the al-Qaida-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, Patek was found guilty on all charges by the West Jakarta district court for his role in the attack on a Bali resort on 12 October 2002 that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians and seven Americans.

The five-member judge panel concluded that Patek played an important role in building the explosives used in the bombings. He was also sentenced for his involvement in attacks on Jakarta churches on Christmas Eve 2000, in which 19 people were killed.

"The acts of the defendant have created many victims and caused deep suffering to the victims' families," the verdict said.

Prosecutors had sought a life sentence for Patek, who was accused of illegal weapons possession, concealing terrorist acts, immigration violations and premeditated murder. But some were encouraged by the remorse Patek expressed during the trial.

"We will use him to influence other militants to not carry out terrorism acts," said Harry Purwanto, deputy chairman of Indonesia's counter-terrorism agency. "Our aim is not only to jail them, but to change their platform to be law-abiding citizens."

More than 240 police, including a team of snipers, were deployed for the last session of the trial, which began in February. Several sharpshooters were seen atop nearby buildings.

Except for a few relatives, the courtroom was packed mostly with journalists. Patek's Filipino wife, Ruqayyah Binti Husein Luceno, 28, was sentenced to 27 months in jail in January for immigration violations.

Patek, who was arrested last year in Pakistan in the same northwestern town where Osama bin Laden was killed several months later, was the last key defendant to be tried in the attacks. He argued that he did not play a major part in building the car bomb, which was the biggest explosive used in the bombings. He claimed that bomb-making masterminds Azahari bin Husin and Dulmatin were in charge of that job. Both have since died in police raids.

Patek, whose real name is Hisyam bin Alizein, has apologised to the victims' families, Christians and to the government, saying he was not in favour of going through with the attack against partying tourists, but that he could not speak out against other senior members of the group. The mission was supposedly meant to avenge western policies in the Palestinian territories, but Patek argued that he never saw the connection.

The militant could have faced a maximum penalty of death by firing squad for the various charges.

Clad in a white cotton robe and matching pants with his hair and beard dyed a coppery red, the defendant sat quietly for hours as the judges read out their 273-page ruling, which included testimony from Patek and more than 40 witnesses. Their verdict and sentencing was read at the end, after the session had stretched into evening hours.

"He was disappointed," said chief defence attorney Ashluddin Hatjani. "It was too heavy compared with the sentences for other terrorists with bigger roles."

He said Patek will likely appeal against the court's decision.

The Bali bombings were Indonesia's deadliest terror strike. On Saturday 12 October 2002, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a nightclub packed with tourists at the popular Kuta beach, killing many instantly and forcing others to run outside. Another suicide bomber detonated a massive bomb loaded in a car parked on the street in front of two clubs.

Patek admitted he helped to make the bombs, but said he did not know how they would be used. Prosecutors argued that he helped assemble the suicide vests as well as detonating cords and boosters connected to the explosives.

Patek left Bali just before the attacks and spent nine years running from the law, travelling in the Philippines and Pakistan. He had a $1m bounty on his head and was considered one of Asia's most wanted terror suspects.

Philippine interior secretary, Jesse Robredo, who oversees the national police, said he expected that many people, especially the families of the Bali bombing victims, would feel that Patek deserved a harsher punishment.

"Many will feel this is light, considering the massive deaths caused by the attack he was involved in," he said.

Since the Bali bombings, Indonesia – the world's most populous Muslim nation – has been rocked by other attacks targeting restaurants, luxury hotels and a western embassy. Security experts say those have all been less deadly partly because a crackdown on Jemaah Islamiyah has crushed its ranks.


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