LAKSAMANA.Net, June 9, 2005 06:54 PM
Wife of Most Wanted Terror Suspect Jailed
Laksamana.Net - The second wife of one of Indonesia's most wanted terrorism
suspects has been sentenced to three years in jail for hiding her husband, Malaysian
national Noordin Mohammad Top.
Bangil District Court in East Java province on Thursday (9/6/05) found Munfiatun alias
Fitri guilty of withholding information on the whereabouts her husband when he was
wanted by authorities, and of submitting false information for her marriage certificate
after she married him.
Presiding judge Amriyat said Noordin (34) used a fake name and claimed he was an
Indonesian in the July 2004 document of matrimony.
"The decision that we have imposed matches her actions in hiding the whereabouts of
Noordin M. Top, a terrorism perpetrator," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
As in her previous court appearances, Munfiatun (28) wore a long black Muslim robe
that revealed only her eyes and hands. At the opening of her trial in February, she had
refused an order by the court to remove the garment for the sake of identification.
Her lawyers had argued she never knew that her husband was wanted by police
because she knew him as Abdurrahman Aufi, the name used on their marriage
certificate.
Prosecutors had recommended a four-year sentence for Munfiatun. Under the charge
of withholding information on a terrorist suspect she could have faced a maximum
sentence of 22 years.
Amriyat said the defendant was spared a heavier sentence because there was no
proof she had participated in her husband's criminal activities.
Police have said Noordin and fellow Malaysian Azahari Husin played key roles in the
October 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people, the August 2003
bombing at Jakarta's JW Marriott Hotel that killed 12, and the September 2004 blast
outside the Australian Embassy that killed 11 people.
Local media reports said Noordin met Munfiatun on June 20, 2004, at the house of a
man named Achmad Hasan in Malang, East Java. Noordin immediately asked her to
marry him, advising her to prepare to become the wife of a mujahidin (holy war fighter).
Munfiatun said she readily accepted the proposal because she believed Noordin to be
a good Muslim. They were married in a traditional Islamic ceremony on June 21 in the
East Java capital of Surabaya at the residence of man named Abu Fida, who presided
over the wedding vows.
The couple spent their first night as husband and wife at Tretes in Pasuruan district.
From there moved to Achmad Hasan's house in Malang, where they spent three
nights. Next they moved to the residence of man named Noor Chandra at
Krampayangan village in Pasuruan.
Munfiatun obtained their official marriage certificate in Pasuruan on July 7, forging
Noordin's identity as: Abdurrahman Aufi, Indonesian citizen; born on March 3, 1972;
third son of Muhammad Aufi and Hamidah; resident of Tuwowo Rejo IV/18, RT/RW
004/001, Gading village, Tambaksari district, Surabaya.
The new wife then used the marriage certificate to obtain a falsified identity card and
residency card for Noordin.
The couple reportedly remained together in Pasuruan until July 20, at which point
Noordin left Munfiatun. Despite being apart, they kept in touch via emails and cellular
phone text messages. Munfiatun used the email address tretesdingin@myquran.com
with the password mandikali, while Noordin used the email address
sardenkaleng@myquran.com. They corresponded at least twice until August 25.
Police arrested Munfiatun on September 22 at the Miftahul Huda Islamic Boarding
School in West Java.
She appeared serious as the verdict was read out on Thursday and later told reporters
she would consider appealing. Her lawyer Fachmi Bachmid said he would file an
appeal.
Copyright © 2000 - 2005 Laksamana.net, All Rights Reserved.
|
