Denpasar (Indonesia), Sept 15: Key Bali bomb suspect Ali Imron today once again admitted his guilt and expressed regret, but insisted the attack was not carried out by the Jemaah Islamiyah regional terror group. "I am guilty and I can only seek forgiveness from my family, my friends, the family of victims and the victims," Imron told the Denpasar state district court in his defence plea.
He said all he could do now was "to ask for the acceptance of the victims, the family of the victims and society, of the prosecutor's recommendation". But Imron, 33, who is the only one of the bombing suspects to have publicly expressed remorse over the bombing, said he needed to make clear the bombings were not the work of Jemaaah Islamiyah.
"The Bali bombing actions do not represent the Jemaah Islamiyah but to my knowledge, it is true that most (of the bombers) have been members of the jemaah islamiyah," he said. "The Bali bombings also do not represent Muslims (in general) but we, the perpetrators, just happen to be Muslims," he said.
Police say Jemaah Islamiyah staged the bombing of two Bali bars crowded with western tourists to avenge injustices to Muslims worldwide. The group is thought to be linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda.
Prosecutors have asked for a 20-year jail sentence for Imron who has admitted helping assemble a van bomb that tore apart a nightclub and caused most of the deaths. Bureau Report