2002 Bali bombings: Indonesian, Malaysian suspects' pretrials set for Jul 24-Aug 4
The pretrials for the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba detainees have been dragging for years.
WASHINGTON: The US Department of Defense (DOD) said they have set July 24-August 4, 2023 as the next pretrial dates for two Malaysian and one Indonesian alleged al-Qaeda terrorists now held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba for suspected roles in the 2002 Bali bombing.
Indonesian Encep Nurjaman, also known as Riduan Isamuddin but better known by his nom de guerre Hambali; as well as Malaysians Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep and Mohammed Farik Bin Amin, are set to face the pretrial proceedings.
"The Department of Defense invites media to cover pre-trial proceedings July 24-August 4 for Encep Nurjaman, Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep, and Mohammed Farik Bin Amin, all of whom have been charged jointly in connection with their alleged roles in the 2002 and 2003 bombings in Indonesia,” said the DOD in a May 8 press release on their website.
“The proceedings will take place at the Expeditionary Legal Complex located in Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB) Cuba and will be transmitted to select closed circuit television sites.”
The three are reported to be part of 17 high-value detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
In January 2017, the DOD charged the trio with planning and facilitating the October 2002 Bali attack and the August 2003 JW Marriott Hotel attack in Jakarta.
Hambali, allegedly a former al-Qaeda operative and leader of the Indonesian Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) group, is also suspected of playing a key role in a number of other terrorist attacks in Indonesia, including JI’s first major terrorist operation in December 2000, which targeted 28 churches in Jakarta, Sumatra, and Java.
He was also linked to the 9/11 attacks in the United States, according to the U.N. Security Council.
Mohd Farik, also known as Zubair; and Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep, also known as Lillie, were allegedly JI members and operatives of al-Qaeda.
According to the DOD, both served as lieutenants to Hambali and had pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
The Malaysians also allegedly aided the financing of terrorist attacks in Southeast Asia and trained to be suicide operatives in a foiled plot masterminded by al-Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is reportedly the self-professed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks also being detained at Guantanamo Bay.
The pretrials have been dragging for years due to issues such as the slow submission of evidence, admissibility of evidence and lack of fair and competent interpreters.