Bali bomber sentenced to death

Thursday, 7 August 2003 12:00 AM

One of the key suspects in last year's Bali bombing has been sentenced to death by an Indonesian court today.

Amrozi bin Nurhasyim was convicted of conspiring, planning and carrying out an act of terrorism that left more than 200 people dead.

He was the first suspect to be arrested in connection with the atrocity on the island and the first to appear in court.

Two days ago a car bomb outside the Marriott Hotel in the Indonesian capital Jakarta killed 14 people and injured 150 more.
Security around the court was tight as the 41-year-old mechanic was sentenced.

As he was led before the panel of five judges, Amrozi raised a clenched fist and shouted Islamic slogans.

He has allegedly admitted to buying explosives and the minivan used in last October's blast.

However, he denied that militant group, Jemaah Islamiah, which has been linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, carried out the attack.

Amrozi, who was found guilty of all charges against him, now faces death by firing squad.

After the sentence was read out, the crowd gathered in the court cheered and whooped and broke into applause.

Amrozi, nicknamed the "smiling bomber" by the media, has said he is not worried about a death sentence, adding, "I'll be happy to die a martyr," he said recently. "After me there will be a million more Amrozis."

The other key suspects in the case, including a brother of Amrozi, are on trial separately.

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