Key Bali bomber Mukhlas sentenced to death

4.25pm

BALI, Indonesia - An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced a Muslim radical to death by firing squad for his role in last year's Bali bombings, which killed 202 people.

Mukhlas, alias Ali Gufron, was the fourth key suspect to be sentenced and was accused of overall responsibility for the October 12, 2002 blasts.

"Allahu Akbar," Mukhlas chanted ritually three times before taking his seat to hear the verdict.

The Denpasar district court sent the first two key suspects, Amrozi, Mukhlas' younger brother, and Imam Samudra, to death row. The third brother, Ali Imron, was given a life sentence after he showed remorse and urged family and followers not to imitate him.

Mukhlas, dressed in white skullcap, grey Muslim shirt, and dark trousers, smiled at reporters as police with automatic rifles escorted him from an armoured vehicle into court.

There were few spectators were on hand but Jan Laczynski, an Australian who has been present at other trials, said in Indonesian as the suspect passed, "Death for you today, Mukhlas."

Australia had the highest number of victims from the blasts.

Mukhlas, like three other key suspects, was charged with plotting, organising and carrying out the bombings in Bali's tourist hub of Kuta, which killed mostly foreign holidaymakers.

The court has so far convicted 15 people, from more than 30 facing trial, for their roles in the bombings.

During previous sessions of the trial, Mukhlas has not shown Imron's compliance and has accused Western leaders of being the real terrorists.

He retracted his statements to police, saying they were given under duress after he was tortured and stripped.

"I'm only a tiny terrorist, while there are still many big fish out there, like Ariel Sharon, Tony Blair and George Bush," he said last month referring to the Israeli, British and US leaders.

But it was unclear if that statement was an admission of involvement in the Bali attacks, which Indonesian authorities say were the work of Jemaah Islamiah (JI), a Southeast Asian militant network with links to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda.

Jakarta accuses Mukhlas of being one of JI's top leaders and prosecutors have said he met bin Laden in 1987 in Afghanistan.

The repentant Imron pleaded on Wednesday for a reduction of his life sentence, in stark contrast to his elder brother. He decided last week not to appeal against the sentence.

"Today, I have received a letter from his lawyers asking the president for a lighter punishment because (Imron) has regretted his actions," said Max Takaria, a senior official at the Bali High Court.

Imron received a tougher sentence than the 20-year term the prosecutors wanted despite having apologised during his trial and having begged for leniency.

- REUTERS

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