Female Suicide Bomber, Husband Face Life in Prison in Indonesia

Indonesia’s first accused would-be female suicide bomber and her husband appeared in a Jakarta area court Wednesday to stand trial on charges stemming from their alleged botched attempt to attack the Presidential Palace in the nation’s capital last year.

Defendants Dian Yulia Novi and Muhammad Nur Solihin face charges of conspiring, attempting or assisting the crime of terrorism based on Indonesia’s Anti-Terrorism Law that carry a maximum life sentence.

“The trial process is ongoing. Today is only the second day. It will probably take about three months,” defense lawyer Fariz told BenarNews on Wednesday. “We will try to defend them so they do not get the maximum sentence charged by prosecutors.”

The trial at the East Jakarta District Court opened on May 31.

The prosecution team could not be reached for comment.

In May, Dian was indicted on charges of preparing to be a suicide bomber with the help of her husband, an alleged leader of a terrorist cell. If not for police intervention, she would have been the first female suicide bomber in Indonesia.

In the earlier court session, the couple admitted that they married for the purpose of committing a terror attack during a changing-of-the-guard ceremony outside the presidential palace, on Dec. 11, 2016.

During a TV interview shortly after their arrests on Dec. 10, the couple told the same story, saying they were being directed by someone whom they believed was Bahrun Naim, a leading Indonesian figure of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group.

Testimony on Wednesday featured the owner of the rented room where Dian stayed and where police arrested her. The witness, who was not identified, said he did not know that the two were planning a suicide bombing.

Police found a presser-cooker bomb that was ready to be detonated.

“The witness did not know about what the defendants did inside the room. So the judge also cannot dig for more information,” said Fariz, who, like many Indonesians, uses one name.

Full story: BenarNews

Rina Chadijah
Jakarta