[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

April 11



INDONESIA:

Execution push for Bali bombers


The end could be near for 3 2002 Bali bombers.

Representatives of the Bali prosecutor's office have visited their
families in the past few days to ask if they intend to seek clemency.

The so-called smiling assassin Amrozi, his older brother Mukhlas and Imam
Samudra have been on death row for 3 years.

A spokesman for Indonesian Attorney-General Abdul Rahman Salewas said he
was waiting on a report from Bali prosecutors about their meetings.

"If there is already certainty that they do not want to apply for clemency
we will begin the process of the execution," Mashudi Ridwan said.

Denpasar prosecution's crime section head, Wayan Suwila, yesterday
confirmed he met Amrozi's family in Java on Friday, explaining their right
to seek clemency on his behalf.

Lawyers for the trio have cast doubt on the right of authorities to go
ahead with executions before all avenues of appeal, including clemency,
have been exhausted.

Putu Indriati, the prosecutor for Mukhlas's trial, said she was ready to
attend the execution.

Under Indonesian law, the prosecutor gives the firing squad the order to
shoot.

When asked if she had any qualms about her 1st execution, Ms Indriati said
that she was "siap sekali" -- very ready.

Lawyer Wirawan Adnan, who was on the legal team that represented all 3 on
death row, said there was nothing in the law books that prevented the
executions going ahead, but it was usual to wait for all avenues of appeal
to be exhausted.

He said the 3 bombers did not personally want to seek clemency because
that would mean, in their words, "surrendering to the human law", which
they disagreed with.

The 3 have repeatedly said they wish to be judged by God's law.

They also have the option to apply for a judicial review of their cases on
the grounds that the anti-terror laws under which they were convicted were
passed after the bombing.

They were sentenced to death by the Denpasar District Court in 2003 for
their role in the 2002 Kuta nightclub bombings that killed 202 people,
including 88 Australians.

(source: Melbourne Herald Sun)