Bali bombers executed

[hongi]

Bali bombers executed

The three Bali bombers on death row have been executed by firing squad.

Imam Samudra and brothers Amrozi and Mukhlas were shot to death by separate firing squads at 12.15am Indonesian time, an Indonesian government spokesman has confirmed.

The executions come six years after the Kuta nightclub explosions that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.

Family members of the bombers were informed of the execution by Ali Fauzi, the brother of Mukhlas and Amrozi.

Ali Fauzi headed to the prison island of Nusakambangan by boat about 5.30am Sydney time to oversee the religious rights on the bodies.

He sent a text message to relatives in Arabic saying "they are with the Almighty''.

In a statement on behalf of the family of Mukhlas and Amrozi, elder brother Chozin said: "We hope the spirit of my brothers Amrozi and Ali Ghufron (Mukhlas) will be takn by green birds to paradise."

The bullets will be removed from the bodies and autopsies performed before the bodies are cleaned and wrapped in traditional Muslim cloth in preparartion for burial.

The men's bodies are expected to be flown by helicopter today from the prison island to their home towns.

Amrozi and Mukhlas are from the small village Tenggulun in East Java. Imam Samudra comes from Serang in West Java.

The bombers' funerals are expected to be held within hours of their bodies arriving home.

A Sydney woman who lost two sisters and two cousins in the 2002 Bali bombings has tearfully told of her relief that the Islamic militants responsible are dead.

"We're very happy ... we've waited a very long time for this and this is our justice," Maria Kotronakis told CNN, struggling at times to speak.

"Finally the moment has come ... we are over the moon."

The presence of police has been stepped up across Indonesia amid threats of attacks in Bali and in Jakarta shopping malls. Most terrorism analysts believe it's unlikely there will be a major attack but agree there is a risk of mob violence and clashes involving hardline supporters of the trio.

The executions follow years of legal challenges to the death sentences, which were handed down in 2003.

Right up until their final days, the killers showed no remorse and used the media to claim to be warriors of Islam and predict a wave of attacks against Westerners following their deaths.

Mukhlas was convicted of approving, inciting, financing and carrying out the bombings, while his younger brother Amrozi bought the van and a ton of chemicals used in the explosion, and attended planning sessions for the attacks.

Samudra was the operational field commander for the bombings.

In the lead-up to the executions, survivors of the attacks and family members of those lost had mixed feelings about the trio being sentenced to death.

Some felt the bombers' deaths would bring closure for still-grieving relatives, while others felt it would elevate Amrozi, Mukhlas and Imam Samudra to martyrdom.

David "Spike" Stewart, whose son Anthony died in the nightclub attacks, has said he would be happy to pull the trigger on the firing squad rifle.

"I'd check the rifle to make sure I wasn't given the blank," he said earlier this year.

Leanne Woodgate, from Port Melbourne, who was badly burnt with her sister in Paddy's Bar, said: "I'll believe it when it actually happens. I hope it's soon ... it will help because they ruined my life."

But Sydney man John Mavroudis, whose son David was one of six Coogee Dolphins players killed, said he "couldn't care less" about the bombers. "I don't give a damn about them really ... we just try and get on with our lives."

I'm against the death penalty, but I have to say that it's about time. It should have been done quickly or not at all.

[Elfdart]

Good riddance. Public sanitation requires that turds get flushed.

[mr friendly guy]

Good riddance to bad rubbish. These guys for a long time said they weren't afraid to die. Strangely enough they were quite insistent on appealing the death penalty. Hypocrites, where is your God now?

[Samuel]

Why did they return their bodies to their families? Wouldn't the more effectve thing been to cremate them and toss the ashes? Or do dead traitors deserve this much respect?

[Bounty]

Why did they return their bodies to their families? Wouldn't the more effectve thing been to cremate them and toss the ashes? Or do dead traitors deserve this much respect?

Because the families have a right to mourn their dead? The bombers are executed, there's no reason to punish their relatives too.

[Samuel]

Why did they return their bodies to their families? Wouldn't the more effectve thing been to cremate them and toss the ashes? Or do dead traitors deserve this much respect?

Because the families have a right to mourn their dead? The bombers are executed, there's no reason to punish their relatives too.

I'm just reminded of the case of the assassin of Ghandi. He wanted his body to be placed in the Ghanges, as was traditional. The government still has his ashes in a jar.

[Bounty]

He wanted his body to be placed in the Ghanges, as was traditional. The government still has his ashes in a jar.

Funny, the story I remember is that his brother had his ashes in a jar, because he explicitly didn't want to them to be left to the water until India was reunited.

[mr friendly guy]

Why did they return their bodies to their families? Wouldn't the more effectve thing been to cremate them and toss the ashes? Or do dead traitors deserve this much respect?

Because the families have a right to mourn their dead? The bombers are executed, there's no reason to punish their relatives too.

I'm just reminded of the case of the assassin of Ghandi. He wanted his body to be placed in the Ghanges, as was traditional. The government still has his ashes in a jar.

That might not be such a bad idea, ie not letting them be buried. One of the bombers mother already thinks the victims deserved to die because they "don't pray". Placing them in their village runs the risk of making it a shrine for sympathisers. That being said, I will wait and see how this plays out. For the moment the important thing is the fuckers are gone.

[Samuel]

He wanted his body to be placed in the Ghanges, as was traditional. The government still has his ashes in a jar.

Funny, the story I remember is that his brother had his ashes in a jar, because he explicitly didn't want to them to be left to the water until India was reunited.

I could be wrong- I remember the story from 9th grade history class.

Looks like you are right. Curse you wiki !

And he considers the man a maytar. How hard is it for the governments to toss the bodies? Do you really want your enemies setting up shrines... maybe they do. Makes it easier to keep track of them.

[Bounty]

On the ashes story:

The urn is a replica of another one -- now shifted to the house of Gopal Godse's son -- which contains Nathuram's ashes. “Nathuram wanted his ashes immersed in the Sindu (Indus) river when it is under our flag. We will pass on the ashes from generation to generation till this happens,” he says.

Placing them in their village runs the risk of making it a shrine for sympathisers.

Do Muslims do that? I was under the impression that revering gravesites was more a Christian thing, that it clashed with Islam's commandment against idolatry.

[Bounty]

Ghetto edit: disregard that last bit, I completely forgot about Ziyarat.

[hongi]

Do Muslims do that? I was under the impression that revering gravesites was more a Christian thing, that it clashed with Islam's commandment against idolatry.

I have a Muslim friend whose dad is estranged from the rest of his family because one of them was like a Sufi saint with magical powers. Often when they die, Muslims visit and venerate the gravesites. This is considered idolatry, but the brand of Islam practiced in the sub-continent isn't very 'pure', so lots of people do it anyway.

Anyway, usually I think murderers should spend the rest of their lives rotting in a cell, especially decrepit ones that I'm sure Indonesia has, but it irked me to bits seeing their grinning idiotic faces for months. I don't think it was punishment enough.

[Sarevok]

Do Muslims do that? I was under the impression that revering gravesites was more a Christian thing, that it clashed with Islam's commandment against idolatry.

It's called mazars. Everyone from tin pot dictators to semi succesful imam of a provincial mosque wants a shrine once he dies. The more famous of these complexes are pretty lavished structures with their own management staff to manage the constant flow of pilgrims. On some days of the year these sites can resemble a mini version of the crowds you see at Mecca.

So yeah these Bali bombers could actually earn more posthumously than they did alive if some savvy cleric builds a shrine around their grave.

[Broomstick]

Placing them in their village runs the risk of making it a shrine for sympathisers.

Do Muslims do that? I was under the impression that revering gravesites was more a Christian thing, that it clashed with Islam's commandment against idolatry.

Yes, Muslims do that. The Taj Mahal is the gravesite of a Muslim woman. Not exactly low-key, ya know?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

If you go to Istanbul, it is not uncommon for a mosque to be dedicated to one of the dead Sultans. And there are lots and lots of mosques.

[Bounty]

Yes, Muslims do that. The Taj Mahal is the gravesite of a Muslim woman. Not exactly low-key, ya know?

There's a difference between having an elaborate grave to mourn by and actually revering a deceased person. That said, I've already admitted I was wrong to begin with before anyone else posted

[Broomstick]

Hey, if Mrs. Mahal hadn't been greatly revered the Taj would never have been built - that's over the top for a grave marker, don't you think?

[Bounty]

Hey, if Mrs. Mahal hadn't been greatly revered the Taj would never have been built - that's over the top for a grave marker, don't you think?

I'm not sure why you think I'm disagreeing with you...

[Broomstick]

Hey, if Mrs. Mahal hadn't been greatly revered the Taj would never have been built - that's over the top for a grave marker, don't you think?

I'm not sure why you think I'm disagreeing with you...

Well, I'm not, really, it's just the first example that came to mind. When I first learned that Taj Mahal was a fancy tomb it really blew my mind.

[Tribun]

I find it disgusting that lots of people there celebrate these murderers as heroes. That they do this proves to me that they are scum of the same batch. (Disturbing that there are so many of them)

[Phantasee]

The Taj Mahal was built by her husband. He wanted a matching black one across the river, but died before he could get it done. It's not really a "public loved her so much" type of thing, more like, "I loved my wife and I'm stinking rich so I'm going to build this for her" type of thing.

It is quite nice, though.

[Elfdart]

The Taj Mahal was built by her husband. He wanted a matching black one across the river, but died before he could get it done. It's not really a "public loved her so much" type of thing, more like, "I loved my wife and I'm stinking rich so I'm going to build this for her" type of thing.

It is quite nice, though.

Don't go around giving chicks ideas. It was bad enough being asked by my SO if I would drown for her when Titanic came out.


By the way, the correct answer is NOT: "Uh, I would for Kate Winslet!"

[CJvR]

I find it disgusting that lots of people there celebrate these murderers as heroes. That they do this proves to me that they are scum of the same batch. (Disturbing that there are so many of them)

Perhaps the execution method for Islamic fanatics should be transfusion of pig blood, at least the remaining fanatics wouldn't put on spectacular funerals for a part-pig corps. As an extra + it should throw the entire martyr in paradise in serious doubt, pigs in paradise? Didn't the British use something like than in Sudan?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

I find it disgusting that lots of people there celebrate these murderers as heroes. That they do this proves to me that they are scum of the same batch. (Disturbing that there are so many of them)

Perhaps the execution method for Islamic fanatics should be transfusion of pig blood, at least the remaining fanatics wouldn't put on spectacular funerals for a part-pig corps. As an extra + it should throw the entire martyr in paradise in serious doubt, pigs in paradise? Didn't the British use something like than in Sudan?

Are you nuts? If the Indonesian government did that, it would collapse the next day, with the President's head on top of a pike.

[Shroom Man 777]

Those guys should've been left to die in some prison cell of old age, and in ignobility - utterly forgotten.