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Suspected Philippine rebel prefers bullet to jail
A suspected Muslim militant linked to bombings in Manila in December 2000 told a Philippine court on Wednesday he would rather die by firing squad than go to jail. Hadji Moklis Yunos broke down when prosecutors showed him photographs of the more than 20 people killed in the bombing of a train and other attacks he is accused of planning. "I cry every time I see it," Yunos, who wore orange prison garb, said at the preliminary hearing after looking at the photos. "I prefer the firing squad than be jailed."Give him what he wants. Also at the hearing was self-confessed Jemaah Islamiah member Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, an Indonesian linked to the attacks in Manila. He is serving a 17-year term in a Philippine prison for illegal possession of explosives and falsifying travel documents. The Philippines, an overwhelmingly Christian nation, is also battling a number of homegrown Muslim and communist rebel groups. State prosecutor Peter Ong told reporters al-Ghozi's lawyer submitted an affidavit on Wednesday reaffirming a confession by the Indonesian that he and Moklis brought the explosives to Manila for the train bombing. Moklis told reporters he had been a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest Muslim guerrilla group, but was asked to leave at the time of the Manila attacks. He did not elaborate. Must have been too soft for them, they don't like people who cry at the sight of blood. Posted by: Steve 2003-07-02 |
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