Bali bomber defiant despite death sentence
The sentence of death by firing squad for Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, found guilty of “crimes against humanity” for his part in the Bali nightclub bombings, is insufficient, many relatives of those killed, said yesterday.
The blasts killed 202, mostly foreign people, including 26 Britons, last October,
In an Indonesian courtroom yesterday Mr Amrozi was convicted of conspiring, planning and carrying out an act of terrorism.
He was found guilty of buying explosives and the van used in the blast.
But he showed no sign of remorse after the verdict was delivered.
He held up a clenched fist and chanted Islamic slogans.
The crowd gathered in the court cheered and whooped and broke into applause.
Trent Thompson, who lost his brother Clint, said Mr Amrozi ought to “rot” in prison, forced to live a “long and unhappy life.”
Susanna Miller of the UK Bali Bombing Victims’ Group warned that the death penalty could inadvertently propel Mr Amrozi to martyrdom.
But others said the verdict matched the need for retribution. Natalie Juniardi lost her husband in the attacks.
She said: “I just can’t wait for the day that he is actually killed. I mean he killed my husband and so many other people – that deserves death.”
The British government for its part said it disapproved of the death penalty.
John Prescott, who is running the country in the absence of the PM, who is way on holiday in Barbados, said: “It is not for us to tell other countries what to do but our position is clear on the death penalty.
“We do oppose the death penalty, we do not have it in our system and I understand some of the victims’ families have made the same point.”
The verdict came two days after a car bomb outside the Marriott Hotel in the Indonesian capital Jakarta killed 14 people and injured 150 more.
