ASSOCIATED PRESS, Apr. 26, 2006
Islamic militant in Indonesia receives 20 years for Christian village
attack
AMBON, Indonesia
An Indonesian court convicted an Islamic militant of terrorism and sentenced him to
20 years in prison Wednesday for his role in a deadly attack that killed three
Christians in May 2004.
Zainudin Nasir was too sick to attend the verdict of his trial at the District Court of
Ambon, the capital of Maluku province.
Nasir, 27, is a member of the Islamic militant group Mujahidin and was the sixth
militant to face justice for a series of attacks against Christians between May 2004
and April 2005 that killed eight civilians and five policemen. One was sentenced to
death while four others received jail sentences ranging from 18 years to life
imprisonment.
Clashes between Muslims and Christians killed up to 9,000 people between
1999-2002 on Maluku, known as the Spice Islands during more than 300 years of
Dutch colonial rule.
A three-judge panel presided by Judge John Teleuw ruled that Nasir participated in an
attack in the village of Wamkama on Buru Island, about 200 kilometers (125 miles)
west of Ambon and 2,800 kilometers (1,750 miles) from the Indonesian capital,
Jakarta.
He also was convicted of illegal possession of firearms used in the attack.
Prosecutors and the defense had not yet decided if they will appeal. They have one
week.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press.
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