Bali, June 03: Indonesian prosecutors today charged another nine suspects over last year's Bali bombings, including Ali Gufron, the alleged operations chief of the al-Qaeda linked terror group blamed for the attacks. Gufron, alias Mukhlas, is charged with helping to plan and execute the bombings, and could face the death penalty if convicted, chief prosecutor Muhammad Salim told reporters.
Local and regional law enforcement officials say Jemaah Islamiyah funded and organised the October 12 attacks, which killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. When Gufron was arrested on December 3 he had taken over as Jemaah Islamiyah's operations chief, after its former head, Riduan Isamuddin, or Hambali, went into hiding, Intelligence officials said. The other eight suspects were charged with indirect involvement in the attack, said Salim, adding they face prison terms of between 12 years and life imprisonment.


Police have arrested 33 people over the attacks. Prosecutors have now charged 15 of them, and the trials of six, including the alleged mastermind imam Samudra, have already begun on the resort island.

Jemaah Islamiyah's goal is to establish a pan-Islamic state in Southeast Asia. The group's alleged spiritual leader, Abu Bakar Bashir, is currently on trial in Jakarta charged with treason and a series of church bombings in 2000. He has denied any wrong doing, and says Jemaah Islamiyah does not exist. Bureau Report