Indo terror suspect apologises

2004-05-04 13:27

Jakarta - An Indonesian terror suspect apologised on Tuesday to victims of the JW Marriott bombing and insisted he didn't know the explosives he transported would be used in last year's attack.

In his defense plea before the South Jakarta District court, Mohammad Rais also said the August 5 bombing that killed 12 people and wounded 150 went against his "principles of jihad" and called on Jemaah Islamiyah - the al-Qaeda-linked group blamed for the attack - to renounce violence.

"I know I made a mistake by moving explosives that were later used to bomb the JW Marriott Hotel without my knowledge," Rais said. "For me, the bombing ran against the principles of jihad because the target was a common place and the victims were innocent people."

Last month, prosecutors sought a 10-year prison term for Rais, who is charged with violating the country's anti-terror laws.

Rais claims he was ordered by two top suspects in the bombing to transport 20kg of potassium chlorate from Sumatra to Jakarta and then stash it at the house of another suspect. Potassium chlorate is the main ingredient in a range of explosives.

Rais, a brother-in-law of fugitive bombing suspect Noordin Mohammed, is among 15 people charged in connection with the Marriott attack.

Sardono Siliwangi was sentenced in February to 10 years in jail for storing explosives used in the bombing. Three others are on trial and a fourth goes on trial on Wednesday.

- AP