Indonesian Muslim leader sentenced to death over 2016 attack
Abdurrahman has refused to recognise the authority of the court, part of his desire to have a Shariah law in the country [AP]
An Indonesian Muslim leader was sentenced to death on Friday over his role in a deadly 2016 suicide attack at Jakarta Starbucks cafe carried out by an affiliate of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.
Aman Abdurrahman, who police and prosecutors said is a key ideologue for ISIL, in the world’s largest Muslim nation, kneeled and kissed the floor as the panel of five judges announced the sentence.
Several hundred paramilitary and counterterrorism police secured the Jakarta court where the trial took place.
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Fears of attacks have been elevated in Indonesia after suicide bombings in the country’s second-largest city, Surabaya, last month that were carried out by families including their young children.
The suicide bombings in Surabaya killed 26 people, including 13 attackers. Two families carried out the attacks, using children as young as 7.
Police said the leader of those bombers was part of the network of fighters inspired by Abdurrahman.
During the trial, prosecutors said Abdurrahman’s instructions from prison, where he was serving a terrorism-related sentence, resulted in several attacks in Indonesia.
Threat of armed groups
They included the Starbucks attack in the capital that killed four civilians and four fighters, an attack on a bus terminal in Jakarta that killed three police officers and an attack on a church in Kalimantan that killed a two-year-old girl. Several other children suffered serious burns from the Kalimantan attack.
The court said there was no reason for leniency. It gave seven days for defence lawyers to consider lodging an appeal.
Abdurrahman has refused to recognise the authority of the court, part of his rejection of secular government in Indonesia and desire to replace it with Shariah law.
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