Court Sentences Bali Bomber to Death

[drdon326]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Indonesia-Bali-Trial.html?hp

BALI, Indonesia (AP) -- Delivering the first verdict for last year's Bali bombings, an Indonesian court Thursday convicted and sentenced to death a key player in the attack that killed 202 people.

Amrozi bin Nurhasyim was found guilty of planning and helping execute the bombings -- a verdict that could help end Indonesia's reputation as being soft on terrorists.

``The accused is found guilty in a legal and convincing manner of carrying out an act of terrorism,'' Judge I Made Karna said.

After the verdict was read, Amrozi took off his Islamic cap, raised his arms and gave his lawyers the thumbs-up sign. Hundreds of people, including survivors of the bombings, cheered when the judge read the sentence.

As he was led out of the courtroom, Amrozi smiled broadly at Australian survivors, some of whom shouted back angrily. Australia lost 88 people in the attack.

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hopefully this murderous bastard will rot in hell.

[Violet_Crumble]

1. The death penalty...

While I don't agree with them, I can understand families of some of the victims agreeing with the death penalty for Amrozi even though they do oppose the death penalty in general. And not all of them think that way. A magistrate from South Australia who lost his oldest son in the bombings is opposed to Amrozi being put to death...


What I don't understand is blood-thirsty types who haven't been affected directly by the bombings squealing for Amrozi's blood. They don't have the excuse of being driven by strong emotion and personal attachment to the case, and there's no excuse for them not to consider the fact that putting Amrozi to death just creates a martyr and probably will spawn a whole new generation of folk who are willing to die for their cause. One of the family members who does support the death sentence in this case does so because he said it would send a clear message to others planning this sort of thing. The only message I can see it sending is that it's better for them to do the suicide-bombing thing because they're going to be killed anyway when they get caught...

Violet...

[LeftistGorilla]

2. Did you see...

the INSANE smile on his face when he heard the verdict? He wants to be killed.... Better to let him rot...

[Noon_Blue_Apples]

3. Thats what some still fail to recognize

Fanatics are not afraid of death. Its actually a reward for a job well done. Yes, he should sit for 40 years and decay naturally.

Bill

[LoneStarLiberal]

4. In This Case...

...the death penalty does absolutely no good whatsoever. I am dubious that even our death penalty here in the States is effective, but I can say with near 100% accuracy that the invocation of the death penalty in this case is pointless.

Amrozi's execution will make a martyr out of him and 10 will step up to take his place from JI's ranks. Regardless of victims' relatives thirst for lethal revenge, it is stupid, utterly stupid, to execute ideological wingnuts like Amrozi or any other murderer driven by a wider group ideology; it only makes martyrs out of them.

As long as the Indonesian government has no real interest in shutting down JI (which they don't), executing the occasional bomber like this jerk off does nothing. JI will continue to grow and continue to carry out operations like the Jakarta hotel bombing and the Bali night club bombing.