Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The South Jakarta District Court sentenced Syaifudin Zuhri to eight years in prison for harbouring Noordin Mohammad Top, a Malaysian-born Islamic terrorist, who was killed in a gun battle with police last September. In his verdict, Chief Judge Heriyanto said that Zuhri, 39, was clearly involved in the terror network run by the Malaysian extremist.
As Indonesia’s most wanted man, Noordin M Top spent eight years on the run. He was held responsible for a number of attacks, including the 2002 Bali bombing, which cost the lives of more than 200 people, and last July’s attack against hotels in Jakarta.
Zuhri, according to the prosecution, provided assistance on several occasions to the Noordin group, including a safe haven. In his closing argument, the chief prosecutor demanded a ten-year sentence.
The judges decided instead to reduce Zuhri’s sentence by two years because the defendant had shown signs of remorse for his ties with Noordin.
Judge Heriyanto said that remorse was an important factor. “This decision is made so that you [Syaifudin Zuhri] should not do the same thing again and that the public may learn something from this bad action,” the chief judge said.
In his closing statement, Zuhri’s attorney said that his client “did not know Noordin” and that he offered him lodgings not knowing that he was a dangerous terrorist.
However, during the trial, it was revealed that the defendant had helped Noordin to find a wife; who was actually a cousin of his wife. This was a sign that Zuhri and the Malaysian terrorist had a much closer relationship than the defendant would admit.
The judges found Syaifudin Zuhri not guilty of involvement in the 17 July twin attack against Jakarta’s Ritz-Carlton and Marriot hotels that left nine people died.
