By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The trials of Abu Dujana and Zarkasih, both leaders of the South East Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah, were sentenced today to fifteen years in jail.  While both men were at various times leaders of the terrorist organization, the two were tried for different crimes and sentenced by different judges in the South Jakarta District Court.  In handing down sentence, the presideing Judges also officially declared that Jemaah Islamiah to be a terrorist organization.

Abu Dujana, who was thought to have masterminded many of Jemaah Islamiah’s terrorist attacks, and Zarkasih, the so-called “amir of Jemaah Islamiah”, were both arrested last summer on charges of harboring terrorists and weapons charges.  At the time, the arrest was hailed as a victory for the Indonesia’s fight against Islamic Militants.

Abu Dujana, who has denied having any relationship to Jemaah Islamiah, was convicted by  Judge Wahjono for attacks against Christians on the island of Sulawesi.  From 1999 until 2001, Dujana was responsible for many attacks and bombings against Christian civilians.  Since that time, Dujana has condemned the style of attacks, claiming that they are against his stated goal of establishing Islamic law throughout Indonesia.  The Judge Wahjono was cognizant of Dujana’s statement and renunciation of terrorism when he handed down sentencing and stated that he hopes that Dujana will help to reform other jailed terrorists.

Zarkasih was thought to have had more control over the rank and file members of Jemaah Islamiah.  He was also thought to have received training in Pakistan in the late 1980s and was associated with Muslim rebels in the Philippines in 1998.

Jemaah Islamiah has been involved in a 2002 bombing in Bali, a 2003 bombing of a Jakarta hotel, the 2004 attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta and three suicide bombings in Bali in 2005.  However, while once a feared organization in Southern Asia, Ken Conboy, a terrorism analyst, told Voice of America that Jemaah Islamiah is no longer a threat to Indonesia’s secular Muslim government.  “They seem to have no real capability to attract and maintain … substantial numbers of new members.”

For more information, please see:
BBC — Key Indonesian militants jailed — 21 April 2008

Radio New Zealand News — Indonesia jails militant leaders for 15 years — 21 April 2008

The Associated Press — Terror leaders in Indonesia get prison terms — 21 April 2008

United Press International — Top Indonesia terrorist leaders sentenced — 21 April 2008