DENPASAR, Indonesia, 5 August 2003 — The alleged mastermind of the Bali bombings angered judges yesterday when he claimed ignorance about aspects of the attacks while testifying at the trial of an alleged bomb-maker.
“You have sworn to tell the truth,” one of the judges cautioned Abdul Azis, alias Imam Samudra, who frequently replied “I don’t know” to questions at the trial of Ali Imron.
Both men are accused in the Oct. 12 bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, most of them Western holidaymakers.
Police say the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah organization staged the bombing of two crowded nightspots to avenge Western oppression of Muslims in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Though charged with terrorism and both facing possible death sentences if convicted, Imron and Samudra have brought different attitudes to the courtroom.
Samudra, 33, testified that he did not know who carried out the attacks and whether they were linked to a particular organization.
He has already said in his own trial that he intentionally did not want to know the details of the attacks to protect himself and other members of the group in case of arrest.
Yesterday he admitted he had traveled to Bali with others accused in the attack but said this was because he had wanted to open a cargo business and Internet cafe there.
He said he had always tried to wage jihad, or holy war, but when asked whether the Bali bombings were part of a jihad, replied: “I don’t know.”
Prosecutors say Samudra masterminded the bombings, picked the targets and assigned a man called Amrozi to buy one ton of bomb-making chemicals and a van to carry a bomb.
He has previously denied acting as a planner of the Bali attack but said he was morally responsible for the bombings.
Imron, also 33, admitted before his trial to helping to assemble one of the bombs.
He is accused of helping a fugitive Malaysian called Dr. Azahari to help build from chemicals and TNT a bomb that was placed inside the van which exploded outside the Sari Club in Bali’s Kuta strip.
Imron is also accused, together with a man called Idris who was arrested in June, of teaching a suicide bomber how to detonate an explosives-stuffed vest.
The bomber, named Feri alias Isa, wore the vest that caused the first explosion at Paddy’s, a bar across the road from Sari Club.
Imron is the only Bali bombing accused to publicly express remorse for the attack. He made another apology yesterday when a hotel owner testified about the massive financial loss he suffered because of the bombings.
Ketut Warta said he lost 350 million rupiah ($41,000) when his Hotel Sari Kasuma, located near Paddy’s, burned in the explosions.
“I can personally say I’m sorry because that situation has brought a great loss...,” Imron said.
His trial was adjourned until Wednesday.
