INDONESIA EXECUTES BALI BOMBERS!
Three Indonesian Islamic militants condemned to death for the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people have been executed by firing squad.
Imam Samudra, Amrozi Nurhasyim and Ali Ghufron (Mukhlas) were shot dead on the island prison of Nusakambangan at 0015 (1715 GMT Saturday), officials said.
They were found guilty of planning twin attacks on nightclubs at the resort of Kuta, popular with Western tourists.
Security forces are on alert across the country amid fears of reprisal attacks.
Members of radical groups have already gathered to show their respect in the men's villages, where their bodies will be buried.
Imam Samudra, Amrozi Nurhasyim and Ali Ghufron (Mukhlas) were shot dead on the island prison of Nusakambangan at 0015 (1715 GMT Saturday), officials said.
They were found guilty of planning twin attacks on nightclubs at the resort of Kuta, popular with Western tourists.
Security forces are on alert across the country amid fears of reprisal attacks.
Members of radical groups have already gathered to show their respect in the men's villages, where their bodies will be buried.
BALI BOMBINGS
Paddy's Bar and Sari Club in the resort of Kuta targeted
202 killed from 21 countries, including 88 Australians, 38 Indonesians and 26 Britons
Severe damage within a 100m (150-yard) radius of the bombs
Militant group Jemaah Islamiah blamed for the bombings
The BBC's Lucy Williamson, in Cilacap, near the prison, says the execution took place in the darkness surrounded by forest and a handful of witnesses.
Later, a spokesman for the attorney-general's office confirmed that the three men had been shot.
"The autopsy results show that all three are dead," Jasman Panjaitan told a news conference.
"The family members are now bathing the bodies," he added.
The deaths will not evoke much sympathy in Indonesia and many people believe the executions should have been carried out much sooner, our correspondent says.
Officials had said the three would be shot in early November but no date had been announced in advance.
A brother of two of the bombers is at the prison to help prepare the bodies before they are flown back to their home villages.
The dead men had apparently requested no autopsy and they had asked not to be buried in state shrouds, but in material brought specially from their family homes.
The bombings were blamed on the militant group Jemaah Islamiah, widely regarded as a regional affiliate of the al-Qaeda network.
Since they were sentenced the bombers made several appeals for leniency.
However, they also said they were keen to be "martyrs" for their dream of creating a South East Asian caliphate.
A last-minute appeal by relatives of the bombers was rejected by a Supreme Court judge earlier this week.
Officials had said the three would be shot in early November but no date had been announced in advance.
A brother of two of the bombers is at the prison to help prepare the bodies before they are flown back to their home villages.
The dead men had apparently requested no autopsy and they had asked not to be buried in state shrouds, but in material brought specially from their family homes.
The bombings were blamed on the militant group Jemaah Islamiah, widely regarded as a regional affiliate of the al-Qaeda network.
Since they were sentenced the bombers made several appeals for leniency.
However, they also said they were keen to be "martyrs" for their dream of creating a South East Asian caliphate.
A last-minute appeal by relatives of the bombers was rejected by a Supreme Court judge earlier this week.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Labels: Bali Bombers Prison Executed al-Qaeda Martyrs Kuta Tourists Indonesia Leniency
posted by jackaranda at 10:25 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home