| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| Indonesia court sentences Islamic militant to 7 years in jail |
| 2006-04-27 |
| Jakarta, April. 27 (AP): An Indonesian court sentenced an Islamic militant to seven years in prison on Thursday for sheltering the man who allegedly helped mastermind a string of suicide bombings in the world's most populous Muslim nation. Ahmad Taufik Ridho was also found guilty of illegal weapons possession, said Ardiansah Dali, the presiding judge at the South Jakarta District Court. The court dismissed allegations, however, that Ridho was involved in a plot to assassinate Americans and other foreigners in Indonesia, saying there was not enough evidence to support such claims. ``The defendant ... has been found guilty of having and keeping illegal firearms, hand guns, ammunition or explosives,'' Dali said in handing down the seven year sentence. ``We also find him guilty of helping hide terror suspect Noordin Moh Top.'' Ridho's brother Al-Ghozi _ killed in a police shootout in 2003 _ was suspected of involvement in a 2000 bomb attack that killed 22 people in Manila. He was also accused of planting a car bomb outside the residence of the Philippines' ambassador in Jakarta in 2001 leaving him badly wounded. Noordin is believed to be one of the key leaders of the al Qaida-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for at least four terrorist attacks in the sprawling archipelago since 2002. The bombings have together killed more than 260 people. ``I reject all the charges,'' Ridho said ahead of his trial. ``I didn't do anything wrong.'' |
| Posted by:ryuge |