The Plot To Assassinate SBY...

It seems that the weekend raids on the terrorist organization of Noordin M Top has failed to locate and arrest or kill the main man himself. However, the raids have uncovered what is purportedly an advanced level of planning towards an attempted assassination of the president. Although, I still think the aftermath of the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings was poor timing to reveal that there were plots to assassinate him underway, it is interesting, and important, that greater detail of the plans are coming to light of the alleged plots.

The fact that Top is not dead means that the plots to assassinate SBY may still be well-advanced. It is unclear whether this was a solitary cell tasked with this particular assignment or whether Top has multiple cells operating independently of each other and given similar orders. The rationale being if one gets found out there will be others to step into the firing line.

It is surprising that the security detail on the president has been stepped up. Surprising because he is afterall the president and one would figure that the security detail would always be on a heightened level of alertness.

The assassination plot allegedly involves a rather large car bomb and 500kg of explosives. The aim to detonate the bomb close enough to the president that he would be killed. The two most likely targets were the president's private residence in Cikeas, Bogor, or the State Palace.

The more likely of these targets would have been the private residence as reports are suggesting that security prior to the public uncovering of the plot was a lot less than optimal. The idea of getting a car or van bomb closer enough to the president in the vicinity of the State Palace would really require some insiders to facilitate the movement of the car or van into a location where the deed could be done.

Apparently, the attack and assassination of SBY would be in retaliation for the executions of the Bali Bombers; Amrozi, Mukhlas, and Samudra, and because SBY runs a pro-western government.

The recent raids do not seem to have killed the possibility of future attacks. However, with a bit of luck the raids will have further disrupted the ability of Top and his band of terrorist followers to commit further attacks, and in essence buy some time for anti-terrorism authorities to capture the man.

The plan is brazen, and the fact that Top believes that he could have done it is indicative of a confidence among Top and his followers that anything is possible for them. Hopefully, this over-confidence will lead to more mistakes and the anti-terrorism authorities will dissolve the network once and for all.

Indonesia's Most Wanted Malaysian -- Part III

Most of the recent reports are suggesting that the of the men killed in yesterday's raids against Noordin M Top and his associates have not, as initially reported, resulted in the death of Top. This might be a big dampener for Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, who has reportedly already called Indonesia's President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), to inquire about Top and congratulate his Indonesian counterpart on killing Top.

Australia's Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, has been a little more realistic in stating that it is still too early to tell whether any of those killed is Top. So, rather than speculate, he is going to wait and see. Although, what is clear is that the Australian government is appreciative of the efforts of Indonesia and the fight against terror.

Top is responsible for a large number of deaths, and the deaths of almost 100 Australians, in a series of bombings starting with the first Bali bombings of 2002.

I would not be sad if Top was killed yesterday. I would also not be sad if he was killed at some point in the future during a similar raid. If the man is guilty of the crimes that he has alleged to have committed, then there is no reason that I can conceive of to be sad. However, this lack of sadness must not be construed as condoning his killing.

To the contrary, my preference would be to see the man caught, interrogated, and then tried for his crimes. It is clear what a guilty verdict would mean in this case, particularly when one considers the sentences that were handed down to foot soldiers like Amrozi, Mukhlas, and Samudra.

Confirmation, one way or the other, will happen over the next week or so.

Postscript...
Then again, maybe not a week or so. Counter-terrorism forces are anonymously confirming that the fingerprints of the dead terrorist do not match those of Noordin M Top.

This is not good. The longer this man evades capture and succeeds in killing innocent people his status among his followers only increases as does the likelihood that his following among those vulnerable to his influence will also increase.

Bali Bombers -- It's Done!

I am not going to write a long essay here on my opinions on the death penalty or the pros and cons of such.

I am not going to make any statements about martyrdom.

The three have been executed (picture from here).

I hope this brings closure and finality for the victims and their families.

Travel Warning

The imminent execution of the murderous trio of Amrozi, Mukhlas, and Samudra has prompted the Australia government to issue a travel warning (People's Daily Online and Inquirer.net) asking Australians to reconsider their travel plans to Indonesia. And, if Australians insist on traveling to Indonesia, then they should avoid all locations that are likely to be targets of attack.

The idea that there will be a backlash (Gulf News) is dependent on so many things, particularly whether the extremists that the travel warning refers to, have the capability of carrying out an attack. It is wise to never underestimate your enemy, but there has not been a terrorist attack in Indonesia for a number of years.

This suggests one of two things; the terrorists are being patient or their capabilities of organizing and carrying out an attack have been severely compromised by law enforcements efforts in rounding them up and prosecuting them.

It is highly likely that there might be demonstrations over the executions and there will undoubtedly be large turnouts at the funerals of the three, and perhaps there may even be skirmishes at these events.

However, the best advice I have to offer is to have some self-awareness regarding the places you are in and where possible avoid putting yourself in harms way. So, if you think a likely target is a pub or a club, then do not go there. If you think it is a shopping mall then do not go there.

Bali Bombers -- The Clock is Ticking?

Word on the street is that the 72 hour notification that is required to be given to a condemned person prior to their execution was given on Friday at 21.00.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

I should add that, seeing is believing!

I am sure that most people will not believe that this whole tragic and sad saga is over until these three are executed and buried. Even then there will probably be those that believe some conspiracy has taken place and they have been whisked off to some faraway locale.

A Jihadi Cemetery

The imminent execution of the murderous trio of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas has seen a mad scramble to see who can organize a fitting tribute to their Jihadist struggle. A fitting tribute for my mind would be an unmarked grave in the middle of nowhere. However, it seems that Cecep Hermawan wants to create a special Jihadi Cemetery in Cianjur West Java so that the "holy warriors" can be buried and remembered for the heroes that they were.

Hermawan's idea is that the Jihadi Cemetery can become a place where all Jihadists who lay down their lives in the pursuit of the cause, in this case the implementation of Sharia Law and the introduction of an Islamic State, can be buried in one place. Hermawan is so confident that pilgrims will come to his Jihadi Cemetery that he is donating one hectare of land for the project.

Hermawan has already approached the three killers about their interest in such a plan. The three seem to feel that it is a good idea. However, the families of the condemned killers, particularly the families of Amrozi and Mukhlas, are a little bit hesitant as the distance from their homes to the cemetery is considerable.

It is almost comical in a sense the competition that is being generated with regards to signing up the families of the soon to be dead killers to a burial spot. Achmad Cholid, one of the Muslim Defense Team lawyers, has suggested that there are as many as five offers on the table. The word is that the families are waiting official notification of when the executions are going to take place before they decide which offer to take.

They might not have to wait too much longer to make that decision. Most news agencies are on stand by and many are of the opinion that the 72 hour notification has already been given and the clock is ticking. For me, I am not sure that the authorities could keep the lid on the notification. The families and the lawyers would be sure to make the notification public hence the idea that the authorities could not keep a lid on this thing.

Shrine or no shrine, Jihadi cemetery or no Jihadi cemetery, there is not long now for these men who will soon no longer be drawing breath on this earth.

The Bali Bombers -- Letters to the Masses

The government has set itself on a course of motion that is going to culminate with the execution of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas (photo from Reuters).

These three self-proclaimed warriors of Islam and martyrs in waiting will probably exercise their right to seek clemency from the President in order to delay a little longer their fate.

There will be no clemency from the president, for to do so would be political suicide. I am of the belief that there are more Indonesians who want to live in peace and free from this scourge of the threat of rolling terror.

The government has be ratcheting up security in the lead up to the executions as a consequence of the perceived increased likelihood of some kind of protest or attack in response to the executions, revenge if you will.

However, the government then goes and shoots itself in the foot by allowing these three mass murderers to write open letters to the world and espouse their philosophy of hate and intolerance, madness!

This cannot be explained away as giving these cowards their last wishes. They did not afford any opportunities to their victims to say goodbyes to loved ones or write open letters to the world. If we are talking about justice, then these killers must be afforded every legal opportunity to argue their respective cases and then once those legal avenues are exhausted then they are to be punished according to their sentences.

These rights to exhaust legal avenues must not include incitements to violence.

All three proclaimed that the West and the infidels were doomed to defeat and hell.

Samudra had the most to say including these pieces of twisted wisdom:

"You, the little people, will be easy to 'smack down' by the mujahideen."

"You will be defeated in this world and will be taken to hell."

"Who doesn't know that the toothless giant, the US infidel and their allies, are now dying.

"You think, if you execute the three of us, you can walk freely, there's no way."

"Remember: there's not one free Muslim blood drop!"

The time is near for this to end. I hope that the execution of these three killers brings some peace and closure to the families who have lost loved ones to the cowardice of these men (I hesitate to call them men).

I wonder whether they will be as brave when the time comes and they face their executioners?

Increased Security -- Jakarta

The government is not taking any chances with the ever-approaching and now seemingly inevitable executions of the murderous trio known collectively as the Bali Bombers, with security being ramped up in the capital and other places where there are "vital" installations.

The country's Chief Detective, Susnoduaji, has said that "National police issued an order for all regional police across Indonesia to boost security in vital installations to anticipate possible sabotage or terror attacks." The installations getting the benefit of a ramped up security presence are those that contribute most to the economy, such as power plants and fuel depots.

It is probably better to be safe than sorry in light of the fact that the three Bali Bombers sitting on death row have consistently said that there are others read and able to avenge their executions. However, the reality seems to be that terrorists in Indonesia maintain very little of the infrastructure and resource that they once had. Nevertheless, it does not take a lot to do a lot of damage.

It seems the wait is almost over.

Early November

It seems that there are a lot of things happening in November. The US is about to elect its next president and the murderous trio of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas are to be executed.

A spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office made the announcement on Friday that a date in early November is the most likely time for the three to be executed.

Why Wait for Friday?

I promised to provide an update on the planned executions of the Bali Bombers (photo from Kompas) on Friday unless something interesting came up, and it did.

It seems that the legal team of the three are going to take this thing to the ICJ. I am not entirely convinced that they can as the ICJ is generally a State against State deal.

Achmad Michdan of the legal team has said they are going to send a letter to the "International Court". I am guessing that this is the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

My guess is based on a Kompas Newspaper report (in Indonesian). However, a letter would seem to be wasted on the ICJ. It would make more sense to send a letter to a UN organ that dealt with human rights, such as the Human Rights Council.

It seems that the legal teams complaint is that the Constitutional Court of Indonesia does not take into account that the prescribed method of execution in Islam is beheading. I need to find out some more information on this.

I will check it out later in the morning and add a postscript if, and when, I find out something.

Thanks to Calupict for pointing me in this direction.

Appeal Denied -- What's Next?

It seems that the three cowards, AKA Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas (photo courtesy of Reuters) have been thwarted once again, this time by the Constitutional Court. It seems that the Constitutional Court has adopted a position that says the whole point of the death penalty is to see the convicted person dead. In other words death sometimes hurts and in death penalty cases the method of execution may cause pain but this pain does not constitute torture and as such the method cannot be deemed to be cruel and unusual.

Therefore, the firing squad does not constitute a method of execution that is either cruel or unusual or, for that matter, inhuman. The Constitutional Court seems to concede that pain might be involved but that the pain is not enough to warrant any Court intervention in this matter. It is worth noting that even if the Court had found the firing squad to be cruel and unusual, these three would not have benefited as Constitutional Court decisions apply going forward and not retrospectively.

This means that there appears to be no further reasons for the delay of the executions. It is expected that the Attorney General, Hendarman Supandji, will announce the date and time of the executions on Friday. Executions are not normally announced prior to the execution taking place. I guess interest in the case is such that the government feels a pre-announcement is warranted.

Next update on Friday (unless there is something worth noting beforehand).

Amnesty International Appeal

Amnesty International has launched an appeal to see the lives of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas spared from the firing squad.

The appeal is attached in full.

AI Index: ASA 21/020/2008 16 October 2008

INDONESIA: Amrozi bin H. Nurhasyim (m), Ali Ghufron alias Mukhlas (m), Imam Samudera (m)

Amrozi bin H. Nurhasyim, Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudera, who were convicted of involvement in the 12 October 2002 bombings on the island of Bali, which killed 202 people and injured a further 209, are facing imminent execution by firing squad within the next week.

In January 2008, police and court officials informed the three men that their renewed demands for a second judicial review had been rejected. The men appealed against this decision, but on 17 July the Indonesian Supreme Court rejected this appeal and announced that they had exhausted their right of appeal, stating only one judicial review is permitted.

The executions were due to take place in September, but were delayed for the holy month of Ramadan. Jasman Simanjuntak, spokesman for the Attorney-General's office, stated on 14 October that the date of execution will be announced on 24 October. However, as executions in Indonesia are usually carried out in the early hours of Friday morning, and the date of execution is never normally announced in advance, Amnesty International fears that the announcement will simply confirm that they have already been executed. Amnesty International is also concerned that the men will be executed despite their outstanding petition to the Constitutional Court, alleging that the method of execution by firing squad amounts to torture.

Amrozi bin H. Nurhasyim, Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudera were sentenced to death by the Denpasar District Court in 2003. The law they were convicted under was brought into force in 2003 and introduced the death penalty for 'terrorist' acts, and allowed for those involved in the 2002 bombings in Bali to be tried retroactively. Under international law (Article 15 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights- ICCPR) and the Indonesian Constitution, a person cannot be tried under legislation brought in after the incident took place.

A pardon from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is extremely unlikely. All three men have stated that they will not apply for Presidential pardon. The President has also previously indicated in a television interview that he will not give clemency and will allow the process to be seen through to the end.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Death sentences in Indonesia are carried out by firing squad. The person under sentence of death has the choice of standing or sitting and of using a blindfold or cover for their head. Firing squads consist of 12 people, six of whom are supplied with live ammunition and six whose guns are loaded with blanks. The squad fires from a distance of between five and 10 metres.

To Amnesty International's knowledge, at least 107 people are believed to be under sentence of death in Indonesia. Eleven of these were convicted and sentenced to death in 2007. Indonesia has executed seven people since 26 June 2008.

In 2006, Indonesia ratified the ICCPR, which states that "every human being has the inherent right to life." However, the Indonesian authorities did not authorize ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, aimed at the abolition of the death penalty.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Bahasa Indonesian, English or your own language:

- calling for the death sentences of Amrozi bin H. Nurhasyim, Ali Ghufron alias Mukhlas and Imam Samudera to be commuted;
- expressing concern that the Law on Combating Criminal Acts of Terrorism, under which these men were sentenced to death, was applied retrospectively to include all those involved in the Bali bombings, violating international law and the Indonesian Constitution;
- calling on the Indonesian authorities to commute all death sentences in Indonesia;
- recognizing that Indonesia has a right and responsibility to address serious crime, and expressing sympathy for its victims, but pointing out that there is no clear evidence that the death penalty is an effective deterrent;
- calling on the authorities to sign and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR and establish a moratorium on executions, as a first step towards the abolition of the death penalty as advocated in the UN General Assembly Resolution of 18 December 2007.

APPEALS TO:

Please remember Indonesia is 6 hours ahead of GMT, and fax machines may be switched off outside of office hours.

President
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President RI, Istana Merdeka, Jakarta Pusat 10110, Indonesia
Fax: + 62 21 345 2685
+ 62 21 526 8726

Salutation: Dear President

Attorney General
Mr. Hendarman Supandji, Jaksa Agung, J. Sultan Hasanuddin No. 1, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta, Indonesia
Fax: + 62 21 725 0213

Salutation: Dear Attorney General

COPIES TO:

Governor of Bali
Governor Dewa Made Beratha
Jl. Basuki Rahmat Renon Denpasar 80361, Bali, Indonesia
Fax: +62 361 236 037

Salutation: Dear Governor

and to diplomatic representatives of Indonesia accredited to your country.

I am against the death penalty.

Bali 2002 -- A CIA Nuclear Missile Strike?

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir must be feeling like he is not getting enough press coverage and in order to reinvigorate his 15 minutes of fame he has trotted out one of his favourite headline grabbers of years past, the bombings of 12 October 2002 was the work of the CIA.

Now, the Ba'asyir theory goes that a US warship off the coast of Bali fired a missile. He refers to this missile as a micro-bomb and not a regular bomb. The idea being that poor little Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas are being framed by the US, Australia, and the Jews (presumably Israel).

As far as Ba'asyir can see, these would be the only countries that are capable of pulling off a conspiracy of this magnitude. He does though seem to suggest that Amrozi had a role in the first of the two explosions, but that the explosion was minor and at best shattered some glass and maybe wounded a few people but did not kill anyone.

It would seem that the cleric's contention is that Amrozi was a stooge and that the prosecutors in the case known this but are not brave enough to adduce the evidence in court and prove it.

Ba'asyir is allegedly the spiritual head of the Jemaah Islamiyya or JI. It is an allegation because he maintains that he has never been involved and that anyone claiming that they know him to be involved are kidding themselves. His did do some jail time for being part of an evil conspiracy. The court while sentencing him stated that he had given his approval for the bombings but had not been involved in any other way.

However, he is about to split from the Indonesian Mujaheddin Council and form a new organization concerned with the implementation of "pure" Islamic Law called the Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid. The plan is to launch this new organization on 25 October 2008.

If the speculation turns out to be true as it relates to the execution dates of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas, then maybe he will be launching this new group on the day of the bombers executions.

Then again, maybe not! Current speculation also has people saying that despite the chatter to the contrary the government is concerned about the impact the executions might have on their chance of re-election.

Bali Bombers -- Is It Time?

The information or misinformation coming out of the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the Attorney General's Office has lead to considerable confusion as to when the the murderous trio of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas (photo from here) are going to face the firing squad and finally get that opportunity to meet their maker and find out if there really are 72 virgins waiting for them.

The latest information out of the Attorney General's Office is that the execution is likely to happen within two weeks. There has been some suggestion that there is to be a "big" announcement on Friday of next week.

The bombings for which the three have been tried and convicted for carrying out happened a touch over six years ago. I remember them well as it is also the day of my wedding reception. My wife and I were married on 11 October 2002 and we had our reception the following day. We finally arrived back at our hotel after midnight and turned on the news. It made for an interesting day of mixed emotions.

My parents had been in Bali just two days before the bombings and if I had not been getting married probably would have still been there. They probably would not have been in Paddy's or the Sari Club. But, I did have friends that were.

Jasman Pandjaitan, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, has said that there are no longer any technicalities that might see further delays in the execution. This includes any decisions from the Constitutional Court. Even if the Constitutional Court was to decide that the firing squad was cruel and inhumane, then this decision would not apply to the Bali Bombers. The Constitutional Court rulings have traditional applied from the date of the decision going forward and have not to date been applied retrospectively.

Furthermore, it would be surprising if the location, date, and time of the execution was announced prior to the execution. Any announcement of the location would likely see large crowds gather of those for and against the executions. There will undoubtedly be an announcement after the executions take place and probably even the obligatory photos and video of the coffins being loaded into hearses.

It will be interesting to see if the executions result in any violence. All three have said that their executions will see swift retribution handed out to those who participate and have facilitated the executions.

It would seem that the countdown to execution has started.

May God have mercy on your murderous souls!

Bali Bombers -- Execution Postponed?

The word on the street is that the execution of the Bali Bombers is going to be later rather than sooner. Later being sometime before the new year. So, when I last reported that I thought that the three murderous stooges (AKA Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas) were having themselves on when they said that they would still be breathing air through December, this was somewhat off the mark. It seems that the person having themselves on about an imminent execution, was me.

The reason is "technicality" or more specifically delays in the paperwork and the prospect of more appeals and the finalization of the previous last ditch effort to claim that the firing squad was an inhumane form of execution.

These constant delays and constant reminders and the continued lack of remorse must be very frustrating for the families of those who lost loved ones and who are looking forward to the day that these murderers suffer the fate that they have been sentenced to. I can only try to imagine what this frustration and constant reminder must be like.

I guess there is always hope for the families that the government will keep its word and execute them in the near future.

On a slightly different note, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the alleged spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, was refused entry to the Batu Prison on Nusakambangan. Unfortunately for Ba'asyir he did not have the necessary paperwork to visit prisoners on death row and the guards told him to go away and come back when he was properly documented. The proper paperwork is the necessary stamps from the relevant offices of the Department of Law and Human Rights.

This did not make much of an impression on Ba'asyir or the members of the Ba'asyir entourage. However, there appears to be no such restrictions with regards to visiting regular inmates. So, he made the trip to Nusakambangan and visited those convicted of terrorism offences but not on death row.

No Remorse rather Defiance

The happy-go-lucky murderous trio of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas (photo is from AP and is of Mukhlas and Amrozi) continue to show no remorse for their actions that resulted in the deaths of 202 innocent children, women, and men.

To the contrary, the trio is proud of the horror that they perpetrated as this is what the infidels deserve. Samudra went as far as to say he would never apologise to the infidel.

In a move that they think will scare the Indonesian government into postponing the executions indefinitely, the three have guaranteed that retribution will be swift and furious if they are ever executed.

My personal opinion is that they have gotten a little carried away with their own celebrity and are overplaying their hand a little bit. The fact that these three convicted mass murderers have not been executed should be a source of embarrassment for the government of Indonesia.

Amrozi is not only not remorseful but confident that if he ever had the chance to do the same again he would without hesitation. The chances of jail ever rehabilitating him and preparing him for re-integration to the community is somewhere between zero and a snowflake's chance in hell.

The other claim these wanna be warriors of Allah are making is that any one involved in the execution will be forever condemned by God. Interesting that God does not condemn three men who ripped away the lives of so many in the name of their religion.

If this thought of eternal condemnation spooks the firing squad, I am sure there will be a line of people willing to take the shots themselves, and with no real care whether the three die quickly or slowly and in considerable pain. For many the pain of their losses on 12 October 2002 is still raw.

These men still believe that there was honour in their actions. I am yet to hear any justification that makes sense that these are the actions of honourable men. More to the point, all the talk now seems to be about avoiding the execution that they have been sentenced to. Where is the bravery now? I would have thought that the sooner the execution the better as you will be with God and a martyr to the cause.

These men are cowards of the highest order they are prepared to send innocents to their deaths but they are not prepared to die in the name of the cause themselves. It is strange that they think themselves to be so special, the chosen ones.

Even more interesting is that the three do not think that they will be executed this year! I wonder do they know something that the rest of us do not know. After all it was the Minister of Law and Human Rights that said that these three would be executed immediately after Eid ul-Fitr. It is time for the Indonesian Government to ante up and do what is required by law to be done.

Bali Bombers, Eid ul-Fitr, and Remorse

The three Bali Bombers that are destined for the firing squad in the very near future, perhaps in just days, have expressed no remorse about their actions and the deaths of 202 innocent people. Amrozi, Samudra, and Muklhas have stated unequivocally that they have no regrets for the bombings of 12 October 2002.

The bombings were designed to punish the US and its allies. Seeing that the majority of those that died were allies of the US then the objective was achieved. Samudra is the most vocal of the three, always has been, and he added that he will never have any regrets. Unfortunately for him, he won't have too much longer to hold that thought. The three of them then offered their support and praise for the recent bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Pakistan.

The time is nigh and the end is ever-closer. You will soon know if Allah is pleased and has prepared the legendary 72 virgins for your eternal pleasure. Then again, if Islam is a religion of peace and abhors the slaying of the innocent then I cannot see your eternity being all that enjoyable!

I would still prefer that they rot in prison but it is not within my power to make that call. So, 'selamat jalan' and may God have mercy on your misguided and murderous souls (yes, the very mercy you did not show 202 innocent souls on 12 October 2002).

Executions in the Air

The chance of an imminent execution for Amrozi, Samudera, and Mukhlas or as they are better known the Bali Bombers sentenced to death for their role in the first Bali Bombings, has seen an influx of journalists to Nusakambangan. The list of journalists includes both local and foreign journalists. This sudden influx has meant that accommodation is scarce on the island.

To date some 120 or so journalists have made the trip to get some coverage of what is expected to be these three mass murderer's final Lebaran. It is expected that the necessary paperwork will be finalized over the coming days and the firing squad will be assembled.

Amrozi, Samudra, Mukhlas

The public desire to see the sentence handed-down against Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas carried out has not reached fever pitch just yet. But, it is worth noting that the Attorney General, Herman Supandji, is coming under much more regular questioning about when the sentence is likely to be carried out. With a bit of luck this extra pressure will force the government into making sure the process is not being stalled for whatever reason.

The Attorney General is currently hiding behind the bureaucratic excuse that the requisite paperwork has not made its way from the courts, to the jail, and then to the OPP. This is convenient, but the government has been talking itself into a bit of a corner when it has said that it intends to ensure that the verdict is carried out before the start of the fasting month on 1 September.

By my reckoning there is less than 13 days to get the paperwork in order and get the deed done. If the bureaucracy fails to come through before 1 September, then I would imagine that a substantial lobby will form to ensure that the first thing the government does on 3 October after the Eid ul-Fitr is to see these three murderers put to death.

Just so none of you are confused here and try and read some hypocrisy into my rants. I am against the death penalty. My personal belief is that these three should rot in prison for the term of their natural lives. However, the sentence is what it is. If the death penalty is not going to apply, then it applies to none. But, if it is going to apply then it must be carried out in the same manner for all.

Thus endeth the sermon!

Enjoy your week.

Beheading the Bali Bombers

The Bali Bombers; Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas, have instructed their lawyers to lodge an appeal with the Constitutional Court. The basis of this appeal is that execution by firing squad is a cruel and inhumane form of execution. The arguments in support of this rely on the botched execution of Muhammad Tubagus Yusuf Maulana (Usep) on 10 March 2008. Usep was executed by firing squad and did not die for 10 minutes. The question here is whether the firing squad is inhumane or whether those tasked with the duty of executing Usep were just poor shots?

The Constitutional Court decision is likely to be handed-down fairly quickly as the government intends to execute the three before 1 September. The fasting month of Ramadan is scheduled to start on 1 September and it is unlikely that the government would execute them on the first day of Ramadan. So, if the executions do not happen before 1 September then they are likely to be postponed until at least early October.

The team of lawyers representing the three also seem to be basing their arguments on the fact that beheading is permitted in Sharia Law. This is indeed true, however, Indonesian criminal law is not based solely on Islamic or Sharia Law and beheading is not the recognized form of execution for those on death row. Therefore, this argument to all intents and purposes is moot. The lawyers that form the Muslim Defenders Team (Tim Pembela Muslim / TPM) are better off arguing hard on the unconstitutionality of the form of execution rather than the right of Muslims to be executed by beheading. Once again this right is not explicitly recognized in Indonesian law.

Interestingly, if the Constitutional Court is true to form in this respect, even if they were to decide in favour of the application, the decision must only apply from the date of the decision and cannot apply retrospectively. Therefore, because the firing squad was constitutional at the time the sentences were handed-down, then these three can still be executed in this manner. However, going forward the government would be required to put into place an alternative form of execution. This would probably be lethal injection. The former Attorney General, Abdul Rahman Saleh, alluded to such a change before stepping down from the position to take up an Ambassadorial post.

One of the lawyers from the TPM has allegedly suggested that France still permits the beheading of prisoners. However, my understanding is that the French abolished the death penalty in 1981 and I have not heard of it being revived of late as an acceptable form of punishment. I guess I will have to do some more research on this unless one of my readers points me to a source.

The end result is that "dead is dead". Nevertheless, I do not see why these individuals should get any special treatment in comparison to other death row inmates. Their crimes were abhorrent and the punishment, irrespective of whether I agree with it or not, has been handed-down. As soon as the government and the courts entertain regulating punishments on religious beliefs then to ensure fairness then all religions must be able to dictate the forms of punishments that are acceptable. I am not sure that this is the way that Indonesia wants to go.

I have posted on the Bali Bombers before, but once again, the moment of truth is forever getting closer. These three murders will soon be meeting their maker, and my guess is that there will be no 72 virgins waiting for them but with a bit of luck an eternity of pain and suffering similar to that which they inflicted on the victims of their murderous deeds. I still feel that they should have been sentenced to rot in jail for the terms of their natural lives.

The photo attached here includes the following information: Aitape, New Guinea. 24 October 1943. A photograph found on the body of a dead Japanese soldier showing NX143314 Sergeant (Sgt) Leonard G. Siffleet of "M" Special Unit, wearing a blindfold and with his arms tied, about to be beheaded with a sword by Yasuno Chikao. The execution was ordered by Vice Admiral Kamada, the commander of the Japanese Naval Forces at Aitape. Sgt Siffleet was captured with Private (Pte) Pattiwahl and Pte Reharin, Ambonese members of the Netherlands East Indies Forces, whilst engaged in reconnaissance behind the Japanese lines. Yasuno Chikao died before the end of the war.