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Australia upset at Indonesia reducing Bali bomber’s sentence : NPR


Umar Patek, center, premiered in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 29, 2011.

Tatan Syuflana / AP


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Tatan Syuflana / AP


Umar Patek, center, premiered in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 29, 2011.

Tatan Syuflana / AP

CANBERRA, Australia – Australia’s leader said on Friday that it was sad that Indonesia had further reduced the prison sentence for the bomb maker in the Bali terror attack that killed 202 people – meaning the terrorist could be released within a few days if pardoned.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had been informed by Indonesian authorities that Umar Patek’s sentence had been reduced by five months, bringing his total reduction to almost two years.

That means Patek could be paroled before the 20th anniversary of the bombings in October.

“This will cause additional suffering for Australians who are the families of the victims of the Bali bombings,” Albanese told Channel 9.

Albanese said he will continue to give “diplomatic representation” to Indonesia on Patek’s sentence and a range of other issues, including Australians currently jailed in Indonesia. Albanese described Patek as “an abomination”.

“His actions are those of a terrorist,” Albanese told Channel 9. “They’ve caused such terrible results for Australian families going on, the trauma is there. “

Indonesia usually reduces sentences for prisoners on major holidays like the country’s Independence Day, which is Wednesday.

Zaeroji, head of the provincial Human Rights and Law office, said Patek was given a five-month prison break for good behavior and could walk for free this month from Porong Prison in East Java province if pardoned.

Zaeroji, who has only one name, said Patek has the same rights as other inmates and has completed the legal requirements for a reduced sentence. “While in prison, he behaved very well and he regrets his miserable past causing harm to society and the country and he also vowed to be a good citizen.” Zaeroji said.

Patek was arrested in Pakistan in 2011 and tried in Indonesia, where he was convicted in 2012. He was initially sentenced to 20 years in prison.

With his sentence served plus a reduced sentence, he is eligible for parole on Aug. 14. The decision from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Jakarta is still pending, Zaeroji said. If pardon is denied, he could be jailed until 2029.

Patek was among the men involved in the attack, which is attributed to Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian militant group with ties to al-Qaida. Most of those killed in the bombing on the resort island were foreign tourists.

Another mastermind, Ali Imron, was sentenced to life in prison. Earlier this year, a third fighter, Aris Sumarsono, whose real name is Arif Sunarso but better known as Zulkarnaen, was sentenced to 15 years after his arrest in 2020 after 18 years on the run.

Erik de Haart, a survivor of the bombings, said there was little the Australian government could do to reduce Patek’s sentence. He told Seven’s Sunrise that the time for that has passed.

“When you look at all the financial support we’ve provided (Indonesia) over the years, given the disasters they’ve had, they seem to keep rubbing our noses at it,” he said. de Haart said.



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