Sept. 7
INDONESIA:
Bali bomber tells all in death row autobiography
The mastermind of the Bali bombings is to release a "halal" autobiography
recounting his childhood and the reasons he plotted the blasts that killed
202 people, including 88 Australians, in October 2002.
Death row inmate Imam Samudra has been writing Aku Melawan Teroris (Me
Against the Terrorists) since his arrest and sentencing to death by firing
squad. The cover of the 280-page book features a scene from his trial,
with Samudra angrily pointing at judges.
In the autobiography, Samudra, the 34-year old former computer expert also
called Abdul Aziz, recounts why he chose to go to war against invading
Russian forces in Afghanistan in his 20s.
He also discusses the "lighter side" to his personality in a book he says
was made the halal - or clean - way, for Muslim readers.
"What's quite important and meaningful to me is that the original script
was written halal, using ink and paper given to me by my team of Muslim
lawyers and not ink and paper belonging to police or the state," he said.
The fiery Samudra was the only Bali bomber who had a university degree. He
attended the school founded by radical cleric and suspected Jemaah
Islamiah spiritual leader Abu Bakar Bashir, soon to face trial in Jakarta.
During his sentencing, judges said Samudra was the brains of the Bali
attacks, controlling the operation, selecting the targets and assigning
roles to his fellow militants.
The married father of 3 told the court he was happy about the number of
foreigners who died in the Bali attacks and when he was sentenced he
shouted: "Go to hell, you infidels."
In his book, Samudra says he wrote his memoirs to put the record straight
about his motives, with America and its allies the real terrorists
referred to in the title.
(source: AAP)
