BALI - Indonesian prosecutors on Wednesday formally charged the alleged mastermind of last year's terror bombings in Bali, which killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. The suspect, Imam Samudra, is believed to be a senior member of Jemaah Islamiyah, the al-Qaida-linked regional terror group that has been blamed for the near-simultaneous bombings at two Bali nightclubs on Oct. 12. Samudra, one of 33 people detained for the attack, was charged under the country's new anti-terror laws with planning the bombings. If convicted, he could face the death penalty, said Mohammed Salim, a spokesman for the prosecution. Police say Samudra learned bomb making in Afghanistan. He has admitted carrying out the bombings to reporters and has showed no remorse, saying the attack was to avenge the deaths of Muslims worldwide. He was also charged with the bombings of four churches in Riau province in 2000 and the robbery of a jewelry shop, the proceeds of which were allegedly used to finance the Bali attack. He is expected to face trial within 10 days, Salim said.
| I'm hoping to see his neck lengthened by the end of the year, myself... |
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