VIVAnews - The owner of the house rented by terrorist leader Syaifudin Zuhri or Ustad SJ, Afan Ramadhan (24) was definitely walking on thin ice.
The student, convicted of being involved in the JW Marriot and Ritz Carlton bombings, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
“The defendant has been proven guilty of intentionally providing assistance or privilege by hiding a convicted terrorist. Prosecutors are demanding the judges to rule a seven-year jail time to the defendant,” one of the prosecutors Ferry said, reading the charges at South Jakarta Public Court on Monday, July 5.
According to the judges, the charges were based on several considerations. Among things that are in favor of the defendant are his politeness during the trials, his willingness to admit his mistakes, his cooperative gesture in sharing information and his relatively young age.
However, the defendant has also been considered committing a troublesome action and obstructing police duty.
Based on the witnesses’ testimonies, the defendant has been proven guilty of performing a terrorism act as stated in Article 13b Law no.15/2003 on Terrorism Act Eradication.
“The defendant was known to provide accommodation for a convicted terrorist, Syaifuddin Zuhri at the defendant’s house on Jalan Semanggi II, Cempaka Putih, Ciputat on September 14, 2009,” Ferry said.
The decision to let Syaifuddin stay at the house was despite the defendant’s awareness of him being wanted by officials for his involvement in the bombing.
“But the defendant didn’t file any report to the police. Therefore, he was proven to be intentionally doing the action”.
At the previous trial, two other convicts, Soni Jayadi (24) and Fajar Firdaus (24) were also subjected to seven years in prison for their engagement to the same case.
Soni and Fajar were also proven being aware and hiding a terrorist at their house on Jalan Semanggi, Cempaka Putih, Ciputat in mid 2009. Soni was also known to pay half the rent fee of Rp 430 thousand per month. The rest was paid by Afam Ramadhan.
The three defendants and their attorneys are planning to file a plea.
“To us, the charges are still really strenuous. They should’ve considered the defendants’ legal facts and involvement qualities. They were probably planning to report but got caught before they had a chance to,” Attorney Ashludin Hatjani said after the trial. Out of the three defendants, two of them (Afam Ramadhan and Soni Jayadi) are still registered as senior students at Universitas Islam Negeri Ciputat.
Another trial will be in session on July 13, 2010 with the agenda of the defendants’ plea reading.
--
Translated by: Nataya Ermanti
