The Federal Government hopes the death sentence handed out to a man convicted of the Australian embassy bombing in Jakarta will deter others from engaging in similar terrorist acts. A Jakarta court sentenced 30-year-old Iwan Darmawan Mutho, alias Rois, to death by firing squad yesterday. He was found guilty of plotting the deadly bombing at the Australian embassy last year, which killed 11 Indonesians and the suicide bomber. Rois had bought the explosives and trained the suicide bomber and he initially told police that Australia deserved to be attacked because it oppressed Muslims in Iraq.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is delighted with the conviction. "I think it shows that the Indonesians won't tolerate this kind of activity and will discourage people from engaging in acts of terror in the future," he said. Three others have already been jailed over the attack, while several others are awaiting sentence. |