Indonesian cleric Aman Abdurrahman sentenced to death for 'inciting others to commit terrorism'

Monday, June 25, 2018

On Friday, South Jakarta's district court sentenced Indonesian cleric and de facto leader of militant group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) Aman Adburrehman to death for "inciting others to commit terrorism" across the country. The bench of five judges was headed by Judge Ahmad Zaini, who declared Abdurrahman "guilty beyond reasonable doubt".

Abdurrahman was found guilty for masterminding at least five attacks across the country since 2016. JAD is a local affiliate of militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In 2016, JAD carried out a suicide bombing attack at a Starbucks cafe in Jakarta, the first ISIL-linked attack in the country. The attack killed four.

Abdurrahman was also found guilty of masterminding a bus terminal explosion attack in Kampung Melayu, and a Samarinda church bombing, as well as shooting/stabbing attacks, respectively, on police officials in Bima and Medan.

The spiritual leader of JAD has been in jail since 2010 but has been planning attacks from his cell, the court declared. "The defendant's religious outreach inspired his followers to commit terrorism so the defendant must take responsibility", the court decision read.

Abdurrahman is to be executed by firing squad. His lawyers were given a week's duration to accept, appeal, or reject the ruling.

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Sources

Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Darren Whiteside. "Indonesia hands death sentence to Islamic State-linked cleric for militant attacks" — Reuters, June 22, 2018
Fachrul Sidiq. "Pro IS cleric gets death for inspiring terror attacks in Indonesia" — The Jakarta Post, June 22, 2018
Karuni Rompies and Anna Prytz. "Indonesian terror leader Aman Abdurrahman 'grateful' for death penalty" — The Sydney Morning Herald, June 22, 2018
"Indonesian Islamic State cleric gets death sentence for Jakarta attack" — BBC News Online, June 22, 2018

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