Without the 2003 Anti-Terrorism Law to fall back on, the imminent trial of terror suspect Umar Patek will force police and prosecutors to be creative in order to secure a conviction, an analyst said on Thursday. on Thursday arrived in Indonesia from Pakistan, where the Al Qaeda-linked suspect had been arrested in January.
An intelligence analyst said that in light of the severity of the crimes Patek is accused of, police and prosecutors should use their creativity in uncovering the evidence needed to file charges carrying the heaviest sentence possible. A National Police spokesman said it would be impossible to charge Patek — who is believed to have been involved in the 2002 Bali bombings and bomb attacks on churches in late 2000 — under the 2003 Anti-Terrorism Law. The law cannot be applied retroactively.
However, the police could charge the 41-year-old with premeditated murder under the Criminal Code and the use of explosives under the 1951 Emergency Law as the suspect had admitted making explosives used in the bombings that killed 19 in 2000 and 202 in 2002.
Patek’s arrest and trial might trigger action from radicals.
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