'Smiling bomber' gets death for Bali attacks

BALI, Indonesia -- To the wild applause of onlookers, an Indonesian court handed down its first verdict in last year's deadly Bali bombings, sentencing an Islamic militant to die by firing squad for his role in the attacks that killed 202 people.

As a judge read the verdict, the defendant, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, smiled broadly and thrust out both hands in a thumbs-up sign. Nicknamed the "smiling bomber" for his defiant laughter and cheers during the trial, Amrozi has repeatedly said he wanted to die a martyr.

Survivors of the blasts and relatives of victims burst into tears, cheered and hugged each other in the courtroom. Amrozi appeared undaunted and flashed a grin at the largely Australian crowd, who jeered and shouted at him in anger.

Hub of activity

The Oct. 12 Bali bombings, which killed 88 Australians among its victims, were the deadliest terrorist strikes since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, and they underscored that Southeast Asia had become a hub for terrorist activity.

The guilty verdict and sentence against Amrozi and other trials in the Bali case have raised fears of revenge attacks by militants.

On Tuesday, a car bomb exploded at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, killing 10 people and wounding 150.

As investigators tried to identify the driver of the explosives-packed van used in the Marriott attack, chief of detectives Erwin Mappaseng said security forces were "intensifying the hunt" for suspected Jemaah Islamiyah members.

"We have pictures of them, and they were involved in the Bali and other bombings," he told reporters in Jakarta.

Crackdown

Indonesia launched a crackdown against militants after the Bali attacks. Thursday's verdict will likely be seen as a sign that the secular government of the world's largest Muslim nation is willing to act against extremism.

"I'm sure I speak for all Australians in welcoming the guilty verdict," Australian Prime Minister John Howard said.

In the Bali attacks, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Paddy's Bar nightclub, killing nine people. Minutes later, a car bomb leveled the nearby Sari Club, killing 193 people, many of whom were fleeing the earlier explosion.

Amrozi was convicted of "carrying out an act of terrorism" for buying a van and explosives used in one of the two bombs.

His lawyers immediately announced an appeal, saying their client had not received a fair trial.

"We do not believe that he deserves the death penalty, he was not the mastermind," attorney Wirawan Adnan said.

The appeal could take years to resolve.

The alleged mastermind of the Bali bombings, Imam Samudra, a 33-year-old computer expert, is currently on trial and also faces the death penalty if convicted. Samudra and Amrozi are among six defendants who have gone on trial out of 33 suspects arrested in the Bali attacks.

Most Balinese and foreigners in the Bali courtroom on Thursday said they were overjoyed by the outcome.

"I'm very pleased he's been sentenced to death, since he sentenced my son and six of his mates to death," said Australian Kevin Paltridge.

"The Balinese people will be rejoicing today," said Julia Ika Setiani, a university student who skipped classes to attend the trial.

The island's economy, which is heavily dependent on tourism, went into a nosedive after the explosions and thousands of people lost their jobs.

Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for bombings and terror plots in several Southeast Asian nations, is said to be seeking to create an Islamic fundamentalist state in the region. Several defendants have testified the Bali attacks aimed to kill Westerners and avenge the suffering of Muslims elsewhere.

Maj. Gen. Made Pastika, who led the Bali investigation, told reporters Thursday that only six suspects in the attacks remain on the loose.

Among them are some major figures, including Riduan Isamuddin, also known as Hambali, believed to be the Jemaah Islamiyah operations chief and bin Laden's point man in Southeast Asia.

Police declined to accuse Jemaah Islamiyah in the Marriott attack until more evidence is gathered, but they say there are many similarities to the Bali attacks.

The Marriott bomb was a mixture of high-explosive TNT and lower-level explosives, as was the Bali car bomb. And in both attacks, the bombers attempted to file off the serial numbers off the chassis of the vehicles used -- though the Marriott investigators succeeded in reading the number.

Police were analyzing DNA and blood samples found in the van used in the Marriott attack and examining video from hotel security cameras in an attempt to identify the driver.

Police released a photo showing a severed head believed to be the driver's. A composite sketch of the person who allegedly bought the vehicle also was released.