JURIST - Paper Chase: Indonesia judge sentences Jemaah Islamiyah leaders to 15 years

[JURIST] An Indonesian judge handed down 15-year sentences to two leaders of the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) [CFR backgrounder; JURIST news archive], after convicting them on terrorism charges. The judge also ruled that JI is a terrorist organization, the first time an Indonesian court has recognized JI as such. The two JI leaders, Zarkasih and Abu Dujana [BBC profiles], went on trial [JURIST report] in December, charged with training and equipping JI members as well as conspiracy to commit terrorism. Prosecutors had previously demanded life sentences [JURIST report] for the two.

Abu Dujana, arrested [JURIST report] in June, has confessed to leading JI's military wing, which has claimed responsibility for the 2004 bombing of the Australian embassy [BBC report] in Jakarta and a series of 2005 Bali bombings [BBC report]. He was charged with possessing explosives as well as assisting and harboring two men wanted in connection with the 2002 Bali night club bombings [GlobalSecurity backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. BBC News has more.

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