The Jakarta Post, 7/26/2005 5:16:44 PM
Second suspect in Australia Embassy bombing sentenced to
four years in jail
JAKARTA (AP): The second suspect to face charges in the 2004 Australian Embassy
bombing was sentenced on Tuesday to four years behind bars for helping transport
materials used in the deadly attack.
Agus Ahmad, 31, told the South Jakarta District Court he thought six bags given to
him by a friend contained crystal stones, but the panel of three judges didn't believe
him.
"We find you guilty of helping the perpetrators bytransporting and hiding the explosive
materials used for the attack," said Judge Johanes Suhadi in handing down the
four-year prison term.
Ten people were killed and 200 others wounded in the September 2004 car bombing
outside Australia's heavily fortified embassy in Jakarta.
Police blamed the attack on the regional terror group Jamaah Islamiyah, which is also
linked to the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people and a 2003 blast at Jakarta's
J.W. Marriott hotel that killed 12.
The judges said Ahmad had to know the materials given to him by his friend were not
stones. The man sold clothes and had nothing to do with crystal, they said.
"The defendant understood the material was considered dangerous, but did not report
that to authorities," said Suhadi at the hour-long trial attended only by Ahmad, his two
lawyers and a dozen journalists.
Ahmad said he would appeal.
Only one other person has been sentenced in the embassy bombing, though police
are preparing charges against four others. Irun Hidayat was given 3 1/2 years last
week for lending money to the assailants. (**)
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