WHY AM I SMILING? [THE TRIAL OF AMROZI]

On this day (9 November 2008 at 00:15pm), The Indonesian terrorist A.K.A Amrozi the Smiling Assassin, was executed together with Imam Samudra and Ali Ghufron Mukhlas by firing squad in Nusa Kambangan Island, Indonesia. As I had blog a previous post on Amrozi, I will give some more information from Wikipedia and other news sources, before giving my thoughts on another post.

Ali Amrozi bin Haji Nurhasyim (5 July 1962 – 9 November 2008), also known as Amrozi, was an Indonesian executed for his part in the 2002 Bali bombings.

Early life:

He was a native of Lamongan, East Java and was the fifth of 13 children. He attended the Al-Mukmin Islamic school founded by Abu Bakar Bashir along with his brothers Mukhlas and Ali Imron. Amrozi was born in Tenggulun, East Java in 1962. His family were strictly religious, following the Wahhabist school of Islam which has its roots in Saudi Arabia. Amrozis' grandfather established the first pesantren or Islamic boarding school in Tenggulun. His father Nur Hasyim taught his sons that Javanese customs were considered heresy under Islamic law and were therefore to be eradicated. Nur Hasyim was involved in the Indonesian independence struggle against the Dutch, often regailing his sons with tales of heroism by his fellow Muslims. Amrozi displayed little interest in school or religious studies. Police psychiatric reports undertaken after the Bali bombings describe him as "simple" and "shallow" and report that he was easily influenced by others. They describe him as having an immature personality and lower than normal intellectual capacity. Amrozis' brother, Ali Imron, reported that Amrozi was continually in trouble at school and at home, being banned and expelled by teachers and stealing items from his own home and selling them. He only made it to the second year of high school. At the age of 23 Amrozi married for the first time. He married a local girl. The marriage lasted only two years, producing a daughter. He attempted high school again but dropped out soon after. Seemingly without purpose and lacking direction he began vandalising Javanese graves in his village in an apparent attempt to gain approval from his strictly religious and respected father. He mortified his parents by desecrating the grave of a respected village elder, subsequently spending a week in police custody. Amrozis'elder brother Muklas was a respected member of a pesantren in Malaysia. Amrozi had not seen him for over ten years. He had been a stabilising influence to some degree in Amrozis' early adult years. Amrozi decided to visit Muklas but was initially shunned and rejected because of his errant ways. He was devastated by this and realised that to become accepted he needed to become a good Muslim. Amrozi ceased smoking and watching movies. He began praying five times a day in his efforts to gain the acceptance of Muklas. Muklas finally agreed to let him stay. Amrozi was talented with his hands and became the local repairman, fixing cars and mobile phones. By trade he became a mechanic and owned the van used in the Sari Club bombing. It was Amrozi who purchased the explosives.

2002 Bali bombing and trial:

His two brothers Ali Ghufron (aka Mukhlas) and Ali Imron were also both involved in the 2002 Bali bombings. Mukhlas is suspected of converting Amrozi to militancy when the two were reunited in Malaysia in the late 1980s. Both of his brothers were also taken into police custody, and Mukhlas was executed with him.

Amrozi was allegedly motivated by his view of American foreign policy, which he deemed to have an imperialist agenda toward the Islamic world.

In an interview with the chief of investigations, General I Made Mangku Pastika, when asked about Amrozi's feelings toward the attack said:

“There is no regret at all for him [Amrozi]. Doing his duty to God, he shows no regret. He's very calm, very cool... proud of his activities."

About the fact that most of the Westerners who died were Australians rather than the Americans that Amrozi has stated he was targeting, Mr

Pastika stated, "He doesn't regret it but he is just unhappy"

Amrozi's seemingly nonchalant demeanour throughout his trial earned him nicknames such as "The Smiling Assassin", "The Smiling Bomber" and "The Laughing Bomber".

Sentence and execution

On 7 August 2003, he was found guilty for his role in the Bali bombing and sentenced to death by firing squad. His execution was delayed for 5 years, due to legal technicalities: the law under which he was convicted was not in effect at the time of the bombing, and it was ruled illegal by the Indonesian High Court in July 2004. Originally incarcerated in Denpasar's prison, he was moved to the high-security prison island of Nusakambangan in October 2005. While in prison, on 12 May 2008, he re-married his first wife, Rahma, in a ceremony which was conducted in his absence in his home village, while remaining married to his current wife.

Together with the two other bombers (Imam Samudra and his brother, Mukhlas) who each received death sentences, he launched a constitutional challenge against the use of firing squads. Amrozi preferred beheading. In October 2008, he remained unrepentant and claimed revenge would be taken for his death.

During the month, his final appeals were rejected and the Attorney General's office announced that he would be executed by firing squad in early November 2008. According to a source in Indonesia's Attorney General Office, the executions were to be done before the end of Sunday, 9 November 2008. This was reportedly delayed from the original plan to allow a representative from the family to identify the body post-execution. From Amrozi's family, his younger brother, Ali Fauzi was sent as a representative of his family.

Amrozi, along with Imam Samudra and Huda bin Abdul Haq were shot at 00.15 local time on 9 November 2008. They were executed by firing squad. Despite his carefree demeanor throughout his trial and incarceration, he was reported to have been pale faced and shaking in the moments before his execution.

Thursday, 14 November, 2002, 10:28 GMT

Australian fury at Bali bomber

Amrozi was paraded before the media on Wednesday

Pictures of a Bali bombing suspect laughing and reports that he said he was "delighted" by the attack have been widely condemned in Australia.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said they were "ugly images", while families of the bomb victims said they were sickened.

But Indonesian police defended their unusual interrogation of the man, Amrozi, which was carried out in view - although out of earshot - of the media. 

Bali police chief Major General Budi Setiawan told reporters: "We have very special tactics and strategy in questioning Amrozi". 

Police said on Thursday that they were preparing to release details and photographs of 10 more people suspected of taking part in the 12 October bombing, which killed more than 190 people. 

Outrage

The images of the "laughing bomber" - as the Sydney Morning Herald termed him - came as the Australian death toll rose to 66. 

Up to 20 more people are still missing, most are also believed to be Australian. 

Monica Sanderson, the mother of one of three Australian rugby players killed in Bali, said Amrozi's reaction was "beyond comprehension". 

"It makes you feel sick and it makes you feel sad," she said. 

"Young kids on a holiday of a lifetime get killed, and these people carry on like that." 

Reporters who witnessed the interrogation on Wednesday said that Amrozi, 40, turned towards them and waved during his questioning. 

'Different methods'

Mick Keelty, head of the Australian Federal Police, acknowledged Amrozi's interrogation looked like a circus. 

But he cautioned that Indonesia's justice system was "very different" to Australia's

"What we've got to be careful of here is that we don't impose our own judicial system on Indonesia," he told the Associated Press news agency. 

Indonesia's police chief, General Da'i Bachtiar, also played a tape which appeared to be Amrozi apologising to his family. 

Apology

"I only want to say I would like to apologise to my family, younger brother, nephews, nieces, parents and other relatives that I had no intention to involve them in this incident", the tape said.

"It was only me and my youngest brother Ali Imron," the tape added. 

Mr Bachtiar said that Amrozi had met a leading member of militant Islamic group Jemaah Islamiah, Imam Samudra, in 2000, and the two men had planned the Bali bombing - meeting in Bali on 6 October. 

Samudra, 32, has been on Indonesia's wanted list for some time. He is implicated in a series of church bombings in the country during Christmas 2000.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2471983.stm

'Bomb!' cries happy Amrozi

By Darren Goodsir in Denpasar, Bali, and Stephen Gibbs August 7, 2003 One word says it all ... "Bomb," cries Amrozi as he leaves court yesterday. Photo: Rick Stevens Amrozi, smiling as ever, expressed his glee at the Jakarta outrage in one word. "Bomb!" he shouted as he was led from court to a prison van yesterday. On the eve of his sentencing for the Bali bombings, Amrozi said he was ready to be given the death penalty today. His alleged mentor, Imam Samudra, was even more elated that Jakarta's Marriott Hotel had been bombed, and hoped Jewish people were among the dead. "Happy," he told reporters excitedly when asked for his reaction to the latest atrocity. "Thanks be to God," said Samudra. "If it's Muslims who have done it, then I'm happy. Especially if it was for Jews . . . hopefully." Samudra, 33, had yelled out in English as he was led into court: "Go to hell Australia! Where are the Australians." Amrozi, his older brother Mukhlas, and Samudra, the alleged mastermind of the October 12 Kuta nightclub attacks, had been called as potential witnesses in the trial of Mubarok, accused of helping to make the bombs and allowing his bank account to be used to channel funds to buy vehicles and chemicals. Each refused the court's repeated requests to testify. "You don't need to hear from me any more," Amrozi told the judges. "It is not necessary because tomorrow I am going to get my punishment." He repeated his claim that he was ready to die, and a five-man panel of judges is widely tipped to grant him his wish today. Later in the day, the trial of Amrozi's younger brother, Ali Imron, reconvened. He burst into tears when the statement of a Paddy's Bar worker was read out in court, describing the night's trauma. "I am guilty . . . I am sorry," he told the judges.  His damning evidence against Amrozi was a turning point in the case, and should prove influential in today's judgement. Tuning in from Melbourne will be David "Spike" Stewart, whose 29-year-old son, Anthony, was one of the 88 Australians killed. Spike Stewart turns 56 today. His only birthday wish is for news that Amrozi will be put to death. But if he could have icing on that cake, he would like greetings from Indonesia's President, Megawati Soekarnoputri. "I'd like a letter from her saying, 'You are welcome to join the firing squad.' " Five weeks ago, Mr Stewart met Amrozi's eyes in court. "Kamu Mati!" Mr Stewart yelled out - Bahasa for "You're dead". If he gets that wish today, Mr Stewart will celebrate with a few beers, then move on to "something short - like a litre of bourbon". Also in Melbourne, Samantha and Leanne Woodgate, both badly burned in the bombing, will rush home from work and appointments to sit anxiously in front of the television. "I want to see him shit himself in his seat," Samantha, 28, said yesterday. "He's turned our lives upside down. They all have."  In a poor suburban flat in Denpasar, widow Endang Isnanik, 32, prays for the death sentence. She will crouch on her small tiled floor to witness on television the judgement of Amrozi, the first of the nightclub bombing suspects to be sentenced. Although the "smiling assassin" is not the mastermind behind the Kuta explosions, he is the most notorious of the suspects. For Mrs Isnanik - whose husband, Aris Munandar, was incinerated outside the Sari Club - Amrozi is also the font of her rage. Initially, Mrs Isnanik, a Muslim and mother of three young boys, did not want to testify, but then she chose to confront Amrozi. "I wanted to show him that he had not only killed foreigners, but Muslims as well. We were also the victims of his terrible crime. "But he showed no remorse or regret for his actions, and just sat smiling, and he really broke my heart that day." While some families spent months agonising over the fate of their relatives, the corpse of Mrs Isnanik's husband was handed over within 15 hours, believed to be the first body to be identified. Aris, a public transport operator, had left for work at 9pm on October 12. Most nights, he would earn about 50,000 rupiah, usually sleeping in his car in the queue on Jalan Legian, waiting for his turn to take home a patron. Mrs Isnanik slept through the explosion, which echoed across the island. But she dreamt that night of her husband telling her: "I am not going to be able to join you tonight, darling . . . I will be sleeping." Within an hour of the attack, Mrs Isnanik's brother was pounding on her door, fearing the worst. In the morning, relatives scoured Sanglah Hospital, eventually finding Aris's charred remains.  At 1.30pm, while bedlam gripped the island, a small ambulance came into Mrs Isnanik's village to deposit the corpse. Hurriedly wrapped in a sheet, relatives carried it in and left it on the front porch of her two-room flat. Later that day, Aris was buried in a typical Muslim ceremony. "It has been very difficult since the bombing," Mrs Isnanik explained. "I get 600,000 rupiah a month [from a local charity] but I do not know how long the money will last. I just try to take each day at a time . . . and I pray." One son, Dwiga, refuses to cry, while another, three-year-old Izzul, tells neighbours his father is in Java, working for money to buy him a robot toy. Today, security will be tight for the judgement and sentencing, especially in light of Tuesday's terrorist strike in Jakarta. But at times during Amrozi's trial, it has been ridiculously lenient. In recent weeks, uncouth Australian tourists, many dressed in board shorts, beer singlets and thongs, have been allowed to stroll into court to giggle and point at the antics of the Islamic extremists on stage. It is a far cry from the restrictive measures in the opening stanza of the hearings.  Mrs Isnanik, like almost everyone in Bali - Muslim, Christian and Hindu alike - wants Amrozi and his cohorts to be put before a firing squad. "And if there is something more than death, some heavier penalty the court can think of, then he should get that as well." http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/06/1060145728413.html AMROZI GUILTY, SENTENCED TO DEATH  August 7, 2003 - 6:31PM Amrozi is restrained as he is led into court in Denpasar today. Photo: AFP Amrozi bin Nurhasyim was today found guilty and sentenced to death for his part in the Bali bombings on October 12 last year. Chief Judge I Made Karna read out the verdict and sentence to the applause and cheers of the crowd in the court. A smiling Amrozi, 41, also turned to his lawyers and cheered and gave the verdict the thumbs up.  Earlier Judge Karna said Amrozi had "legally and convincingly been found guilty of all charges''. He said the judges did not share the opinion of defence counsel that capital punishment cannot be justified.  Prosecutors have asked that Amrozi face a firing squad for the terror bombings which killed 202 people including 88 Australians.  "The action of the defendant, Amrozi ... is an act of terrorism that goes against the order of civilized men,'' Karna said. He said Amrozi's actions caused heavy loss of life and material damage ``and has made victims suffer from fear, physical and non-physical trauma, and has spread terror''. Broadcast live on television, Amrozi sat slouched in a swing chair in the court, occasionally stroking his beard and gazing forward as the long process of the judgement being read out started. The prosecution have demanded the death penalty. Amrozi was the first suspect to be arrested, the 'smiling assasin' - whose staged confession with the Indonesian police chief caused international outrage - and was the first of the 33 followers to face court. He was accused of buying chemicals for the explosives, the L300 Mitsubishi van that was parked outside the Sari Club and a Yamaha motorcycle used as a getaway vehicle. Amrozi, 41, of Tenggulun village in East Java, faced multiple charges carrying the death penalty of planning and carrying out the October 12 attack on the Kuta Beach nightclub strip which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.  An armoured car believed to be carrying Amrozi arrived outside the court house 8.30am (1030 AEST).  Indonesian police have tightened security at the Nari Graha auditorium, being used as a temporary courthouse to try the accused bombers, following this week's bombing of a luxury Jakarta hotel which killed as many as 16 people.  Around 300 officers are guarding the compound of the temporary court and have imposed tight checks on the scores of media who have descended on Bali to report on the trial.  Dozens of Australian victims who survived the bombing of the Paddy's Bar and Sari Club, along with the relatives of those who did not, have returned to Bali to attend the trials.  Australian consular officials said eight to 10 relatives were expected to attend today's verdict, which is expected to take five hours to read.  Among the Australians were Danny Hanly, who lost two daughters in the bombing, David Ure and Jessica O'Grady, who both survived the bombing, Des and Gail Swain, who lost their son, and survivor Jake Ryan, consular staff said.  Also attending are the Australian consul to Bali, Brent Hall, and diplomats from the US and British embassies.  At the court today, a Balinese Hindu priest, Nyoman Budyasa, led prayers to bless the courthouse at a small shrine in the back of the auditorium.  Budyasa said prosecutors were feeling unsafe after the bombing of the Marriott hotel in Jakarta.  "We are praying to God for safety so that the truth can emerge and falsehoods will be recognised," said Budyasa, who is also a prosecutor at the Denpasar District Prosecutor's office.  Amrozi, the first suspect to be arrested last November 5, is the first person to be tried under Indonesia's anti-terrorism laws.  His trial began on May 12 and, with intense international pressure, has been sped through the courts. AAP and smh.com.au http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/07/1060145765603.html It's death for Amrozi By Joanne Collins, Karima Anjani Denpasar, Bali August 8, 2003 Amrozi, the Bali bomber dubbed "the smiling assassin", reacts in character after his sentence. Picture: Rick Stevens Amrozi, the Muslim terrorist dubbed "the smiling assassin", was sentenced to death by firing squad yesterday after being found guilty of helping to carry out last year's Bali nightclub attacks that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.  Maintaining the defiance that has marked his trial, Amrozi clenched his fists, punched the air in triumph and smiled as police led him away after sentence was passed.  In Bali as well as back home in Australia, survivors of the blasts and relatives of victims hugged and kissed each other as the verdict was read out. Some shed tears, many shouted with delight.  In Canberra, Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Simon Crean gave bipartisan support for the verdict delivered in a Denpasar court.  Mr Howard said the crimes were committed in Indonesia and the law of that country must prevail. "The Indonesian court has applied it. I accept that. I respect the jurisdiction of the Indonesian court," he said, "and I do not intend to make any representation that it (the sentence) not be carried out."  Mr Crean said he would have preferred a long prison sentence. "I don't agree with capital punishment, but the fact is... the Indonesian courts have handed down the death penalty. I won't be seeking to interfere in that decision." Many relatives of the Australians killed in the bombings on October 12 applauded the death penalty imposed on the 41-year-old Javanese motor mechanic.  But Adelaide magistrate Brian Deegan, whose son Josh died in the Sari Club blast, was disappointed by the sentence, saying he feared it would spark more terrorism. "I suspect that this will in many respects backfire and is going to create a lot more mischief and a lot more misery," he said. In the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Hallam, survivors and relatives gathered at the home of the parents of Dale Atkin to watch television and await the verdict. When at last the death sentence was announced, Mr Atkin turned to David "Spike" Stewart, who lost his son Anthony and said "Happy birthday". Mr Stewart turned 56 yesterday - his birthday wish was death for Amrozi. An Indonesian Government spokesman, Marty Natelgawa, expressed satisfaction with the verdict and sentence. "All of us wish that we could rewind the clock and do away with the entire tragedy, but short of doing what is impossible what we've always wanted to achieve is for the perpetrators of these heinous crimes not to get away scot-free," he said. "Today's verdict goes some ways to ensure that these people who have committed these crimes are brought to justice and held accountable for their cowardly acts." The verdict came just two days after a car bomb killed at least 10 people at a luxury hotel in Jakarta, and coincided with concern that Jemaah Islamiah, the shadowy South-East Asian network linked to al-Qaeda, might be plotting further attacks.  Amrozi was found guilty of helping to plot, organise and carry out crimes of terror in relation to the nightclub blasts. "The panel of judges declare that the defendant Amrozi has been found guilty of criminal acts in carrying out terrorist crimes... and the sentence on the defendant Amrozi is death," chief judge I Made Karna told the court.  "I state that the accused Amrozi has been proven legally to be guilty in committing a terrorist act," Judge Karna declared. "And I bring down the death penalty!"  "The punishment must be commensurate with the seriousness of his crime," said judge Lilik Mulyadi, demolishing the defence's arguments for leniency.  "His actions have robbed young children of their parents, created trauma for suffering victims, mass casualties and widespread panic. What he has done damaged property and public facilities... it has destroyed our country, damaged our financial system. The death penalty can be legally upheld, not only for educative reasons - but to act as a deterrent.  "He has engaged in deliberate acts, and although he could have chosen to stop at any time, he continued with his actions."  It was the first verdict in the Bali bomb trials and Amrozi's lawyers said they would be launching an immediate appeal. "We are going to appeal first thing tomorrow morning," Wirawan Adnan, lawyer for Amrozi, said after the trial. Earlier, Amrozi had shown scant interest in proceedings, fidgeting and then smiling at the prosecutors after a defiant entry. "Allahu akbar (God is greatest)," he shouted as he arrived in court.  During the trial Amrozi admitted involvement in the attacks, saying "whites" deserved to die. He had also said he would welcome the death penalty, but said he did not belong to JI.  Almost half the dead in Bali were Australians, killed as they enjoyed the island's nightlife. Several dozen Indonesians, including Balinese, also died. Those who said they were eager for retribution from the court ranged from waiters who survived the bombs to local entrepreneurs who have scraped to make a living since the attacks devastated the island's tourism industry. "You must die, Amrozi," read a message posted on the green fence in front of a mound of earth that was once the Sari Club.  "Whether he rots away in jail for 60 years or they shoot him dead, as long as he gets his (punishment) I don't really mind," said Australian Jake Ryan, 22, who lost half of his left foot in the blast that destroyed the Sari Club. - with agencies, Matthew Moore http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/07/1060145801763.html Key evidence in Amrozi's trial August 8, 2003 MAY 12 On the first day of the trial, Amrozi's lawyers tried to persuade the court that he was not one of the masterminds behind the bombing, had been tried by media and should be spared the death penalty. MAY 28 The first witness, traffic warden Haji Agus "Bambang" Priyanto, wept as he told the court how he spent 11 hours pulling bodies from the wreckage and having survivors die in his arms. JUNE 4 Amrozi and his younger brother Ali Imron traded barbs after the trial heard chilling new details of how the blasts were plotted and executed. Imron testified that Amrozi had attended a meeting at which Imam Samudra, the alleged Bali field commander, discussed potential bomb targets on the island. Imron said the nightclubs were targeted because they wanted to kill Americans and their allies. JUNE 11 Co-accused Imam Samudra denied responsibility for the blasts and gave evidence that Amrozi was the brains behind the terrorist operation. JUNE 12 Amrozi confessed to being involved in other lethal bombings in Indonesia and said his desire to attack Westerners began when he worked in Malaysia, where Australian co-workers told him about the decadent behaviour of white people visiting Bali. Amrozi denied being the mastermind of the Bali bombings but admitted he had bought and transported the explosives used in the blasts. "When I heard on the radio there were many foreign victims, I was very proud," Amrozi told the court. JUNE 16 Three Australians told the packed courtroom of their night of sheer terror and of seeing huge explosions, fireballs and mangled bodies. Jason McCartney and Peter Hughes peeled back stockings to show their injuries and scars, while Stuart Anstee pointed to deep scarring on his neck, where his jugular vein had been cut. Mr McCartney told the court his life as an AFL footballer had been cut short and how he still lived in fear because of "ugly visions". JUNE 30 Summing up the case against Amrozi, the prosecution named Jemaah Islamiah as the group responsible for the Bali bombings and called for the death penalty for Amrozi. Later, as Amrozi was being led from the court, Spike Stewart from Werribee stood and shouted "Amrozi!". Catching Amrozi's glance, he shouted in Bahasa Indonesian "Kamu mati (You're dead)", followed by "Bastard". Mr Stewart's son Anthony was killed in the blasts. JULY 14 Amrozi launched his defence by claiming that the main blast on October 12 might have been caused by a mini nuclear device detonated by the United States or Israel. He also said the attack that killed 88 Australians had had some "positive effects", including restoring religious and moral standards and stopping the Balinese people becoming "slaves" of foreigners. JULY 17 The prosecution ridiculed Amrozi's defence as "bullshit" and again called for the alleged mass murderer to be sentenced to death. JULY 21 After hearing a final plea from Amrozi's lawyers against a death sentence yesterday, Judge I Made Karna announced the verdict and sentencing date of August 7. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/07/1060145800983.html Bali bombers threaten revenge over executions Indonesia correspondent Geoff Thompson Updated Wed Oct 1, 2008 11:37pm AEST The three Bali bombers on death row in Indonesia have threatened reprisals if their executions go ahead. Kneeling in the front row of a morning prayer session to mark the end of Ramadan, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, Ali Ghufron or Mukhlas and Imam Samudra were as unrepentant as ever for the 2002 Bali bombings which took 202 lives, including 88 Australians. The trio clearly enjoyed the media attention they received when journalists were allowed into Nusakambangan Prison. When asked how he felt about the 88 Australians he helped kill six years ago, Amrozi said that if he had a chance he would kill more. Samudra said he felt sorrow for the Muslims who died in those attacks, but none for the Australian unbelievers. "For Australians I'm never sorry," he said. Mukhlas, meanwhile, praised the recent suicide truck bombing of the Marriott Hotel in the Pakistan capital, Islamabad. The bombers have often said they are ready to die, but as their date with a firing squad approaches their tone has turned threatening. Mukhlas warned that all responsible for his execution would be executed themselves by mujahadeen fighters in Indonesia and around the world. The bombers are expected to be executed before the end of the year. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-10-01/bali-bombers-threaten-revenge-over-executions/528230 Page last updated at 08:34 GMT, Friday, 24 October 2008 09:34 UK Bali bombers' execution date set Three men convicted over the 2002 Bali bombings will be executed in early November, the Indonesian attorney general's office says. The three - Imam Samudra, Amrozi and Mukhlas, also known as Ali Ghufron - were sentenced to death for their roles in the attacks which killed 202 people.  They were found guilty of planning the attacks, which targeted nighclubs at Bali's tourist resort of Kuta.  The bombings were blamed on the militant group Jemaah Islamiah.  Friday's announcement comes after several appeals made on behalf of the three men. The three are held in Nusakambangan maximum security prison, where officials said the executions would take place.  A pledge by the attorney general to see them die by Ramadan - which fell in early September - was not met.  However in its latest statement, his office said: "All legal recourse for the convicts has been finalised, and all requirements met.  "The execution of Amrozi, Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudra will be carried out at the beginning of November."  Earlier this month, Indonesia's Constitutional Court rejected defence arguments that the three should be beheaded, instead of being executed by firing squad, which, they argued, did not guarantee instant death and would amount to torture.  The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta says few Indonesians support the bombers, but the execution of men who say they were defending Islamic values is likely to spark some reaction even so.   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7688178.stm The smiling assassin dies with a whimper Cindy Wockner November 10, 2008 12:00AM AMROZI, the smiling assassin, was not so brave when faced with his own death. Sources involved in the execution process said the three Bali bombers accepted their fate without a struggle when they were shackled hand and foot and led from their jail cells to the execution ground. Amrozi was the least brave, and looked "pale" and afraid, one source said. He was also the quickest to die after all three were strapped to wooden posts and shot by a firing squad. His older brother Mukhlas was more defiant, shouting Allah akbar -- God is great -- until the end. It is believed Amrozi was tied to the middle post with Mukhlas to his right and Imam Samudra, the third bomber, on his left. The three bombers opted not to be blindfolded in the lead-up to their execution by firing squad, officials said. The three were standing when the shots rang out. They were chained to separate 2m-high poles, several metres from each other, and a doctor placed a marker over the exact position of their hearts. Then the 12 specially trained police snipers lined up facing each of them, who after receiving the final order from their commander, simultaneously peppered their bodies with 5.6mm bullets. Only one sniper in each group of 12 had a live bullet, said Jasmine Pandjaitan, a spokesman for Indonesia's Attorney-General's office. The three condemned men did not put up a fight before their executions, he said. "They were very co-operative," he said of the convicted terrorists. "They died immediately, a few moments after they were shot," he added. After the three were pronounced dead, their bodies were taken to a health clinic for autopsy, and then prepared for burial, in line with Islamic custom. A brother of Amrozi and Mukhlas, Ali Fauzi, brought two 20m pieces of fabric from his home village in which to wrap the bodies of his siblings. Amrozi was the most reviled of the bombers, smiling and gloating about the bombings after he was captured. After he was sentenced to death, he cheered and gave the thumbs-up to the judges and survivors in court. It was a different story on Saturday night as about 30 members of the paramilitary police Brimob arrived at Batu Jail on Nusa Kambangan Island, off the cost of central Java. Wearing balaclavas to hide their identity, the officers went to the death row cells and shackled the three men. "They looked like they accepted their fate. They didn't struggle," a witness said. Their ankles were bound so tightly they had to shuffle from their cells. The rest of the jail was silent as they called out "Allah Akbar". "They were shouting but it was not really loud. The situation was quite calm. Not all three of them were shouting at once. It was separately, one then the other," a source said. They were taken to double-cab pick-up trucks. Each bomber was put in the middle of the second row of seats, flanked by armed police. More police sat in the back. The vehicles drove in convoy to the execution site at Nirbaya, about 3km south of the jail. Amrozi was in the first vehicle, followed by Samudra then Mukhlas. It took longer than anticipated to reach the site because a torrential downpour earlier in the night made the narrow and windy track slippery and difficult to negotiate. When they arrived, the bombers were taken from the vehicles and tied to posts. They were ministered to by three Muslim preachers who read from the Koran. Bali prosecutor Ida Bagus Wiswantanu then read out the execution order, detailing their crimes and the death sentence. At 12.15am local time, the order was given to fire. It was a dark night, with the moon shrouded by cloud. But the air was crisp and clean after the earlier monsoon rain. At 12.20am, a doctor pronounced them dead and at 12.25am the three bodies were untied and taken to a nearby jail clinic for autopsies. The bodies were washed in the Muslim tradition. - Additional reporting by Komang Suriadi and Git Anuggunathika http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/smiling-assassin-dies-with-a-whimper/story-e6frf7jo-1111117988774 Check this video to see the Bali Bombers on trial. Check the Bali Bombers giving their thoughts. (Warning: This video is not making fun of Islam. I have Muslim friends and I am not discriminating any religion here. I post this video to show the Bali Bombers' thoughts.) Check these 2 videos to see the aftermath of their execution. Check this 3 videos to see CNN Journalist, Dan Rivers interviewing people on the 2002 Bali Bombings.