ABC AUSTRALIA, 17/11/2003 22:16:45
Bali bomb mastermind loses appeal against death sentence
The man who masterminded the Bali bombings has lost his appeal in the high court
against a death sentence.
Imam Samudra is the second key bomber on death row to have his appeal rejected,
after Amrozi.
Samudra's lawyer Wirawan Adnan has declined to comment on whether Samudra will
now appeal to the country's supreme court, as Amrozi has done.
The AFP news agency says investigators believe Samudra is a leading member of the
al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror network, which staged the attack on two
crowded nightclubs to avenge Western oppression of Muslims worldwide.
The bombings on October 12, 2002, killed 202 people, mostly Western
holidaymakers.
Samudra, 33, had once said he would welcome death as bringing him closer to God.
Executions are by firing squad.
But when he was sentenced by the district court on September 10, defence lawyers
said he would appeal because he should have been tried under Islamic law.
A third bomber called Mukhlas is also on death row and has also said he will appeal.
A fourth key bomber called Ali Imron escaped with a life sentence after expressing
remorse.
17/11/2003 22:16:45 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
