Feb. 6
INDONESIA:
Alleged Bali bomber to face 6 charges
The man believed to have built the devices used in the 1st Bali bombings which
killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, will be charged with mass murder
for his alleged role in the 2002 attacks.
Prosecutors on Monday delivered a 50-page indictment to the West Jakarta
District Court where Umar Patek is expected to face trial later this month on 6
charges related to his suspected involvement in terrorist activities over more
than a decade.
Patek, who has allegedly already admitted to a role in the Bali bombings, won't
be charged with terrorism offences over the 2002 attacks because Indonesia's
tough anti-terrorism laws, introduced in 2003, cannot be applied
retrospectively.
Advertisement: Story continues below However, he will face a charge of
premeditated mass murder in relation to the bombing of two nightclubs in the
popular holiday area of Kuta 10 years ago, as well as a series of bombings of
churches in Indonesia in 2000.
If found guilty of the murder charges he could be sentenced to death.
A copy of the indictment, seen by AAP, also lists charges of conspiracy to
commit terrorism, harbouring information on terrorism, possession of explosives
and firearms, as well as 2 counts of document fraud.
Indonesian authorities, including a special counter-terrorism unit with the
Attorney-General's Department, have been working on building a watertight case
against Patek since his extradition from Pakistan in August last year.
Bambang Suharyadi, one of a team of 15 prosecutors who will be involved in the
trial, told AAP on Monday that the indictment covered Patek's alleged
involvement in terrorist activities "from the Christmas bombings up to his
arrest in Pakistan".
The 43-year-old spent almost 10 years at the top of Southeast Asia's
most-wanted list before his capture in January 2011 in Abbottabad, the same
Pakistani town where US forces killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden last May.
Prosecutors will present evidence from up to 80 witnesses during the trial,
including testimony from Australian and American survivors who lived through
the horror of the Bali attacks.
They will also rely on evidence already provided by Patek, who in October last
year retraced his steps in the final hours before bombs were detonated at the
Sari Club and Paddy's Bar.
The evidence also includes video of Patek showing police where he finished
assembling the bombs.
Patek is the last of the key members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) - the group
behind the Bali bombings - to face justice over what remains Indonesia's most
deadly terrorist attack.
His trial comes after the conviction last year of high-profile JI co-founder
and the spiritual leader of the jihadist movement in Indonesia, Abu Bakar
Bashir, following the discovery of a secret paramilitary training camp in Aceh.
The bespectacled cleric served almost 26 months behind bars for conspiracy over
the 2002 Bali bombings but that conviction was later overturned.
Patek's trial will be conducted amid heavy security, with authorities concerned
about the possibility of reprisal attacks from his old network, which they
believe may still be active in Indonesia.
It is expected to run until late May or early June.
(source: Brisbane Times)
BELARUS:
MINISTRY of FOREIGN AFFAIRS of Latvia: Belarus to abolish the death penalty and
to release political prisoners
The release of political prisoners and the abolition of the death penalty
should be interested, above all, the representatives of the official Minsk. On
the 4 February, said State Secretary of Latvia Andris Tejkmanis during the
working visit to Belarus.
During the visit of Tejkmanis met with the Foreign Minister of Belarus Syarhei
Martynau, head of President’s administration Makei and Transport Minister Ivan
Serbo. During the meeting, the representative of the MINISTRY of FOREIGN
AFFAIRS of Latvia underlined that the authorities of Belarus and claiming the
interest of the development of relations with the European Union, should be
also interested in the release of all Belarusian political prisoners and a
moratorium on the death penalty.
As reported BakuToday, belarus is the only country in Europe where in which
death sentences are carried out. The requirement to abolish the death penalty
or a moratorium on its use is a prerequisite for cooperation of the EU with the
official Minsk.
We have informed the authorities of Latvia, loyal to the activities of neo-Nazi
groups. MFA Latvia 3 February “strongly condemned” the ongoing State Central
Museum of contemporary Russian history historical exhibition “Ugnannoe
childhood: the fate of the children stolen at the territory of Latvia,
1943-1944.”.
Also be reminded that on February 18 in Latvia held a referendum on giving the
public status of the Russian language. Most of the Latvian Saeima Andris
Berzins and oppose the advancement of Russian language in the Republic.
(source: Baku Today)
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