'Mistreated' Bali bomber to appeal

The first convicted Bali bomber plans to appeal against his death sentence, despite his apparent relish at the prospect of facing the firing squad.

Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, 41, who was convicted last week of terrorist acts in relation to last October's Bali bombs, has signed a document that enables his lawyers to appeal against the sentence handed down by a court in the Balinese capital, Denpasar.

Amrozi, who has repeatedly expressed his willingness to die in the cause of Islam, greeted the court's ruling with a broad smile and a thumbs-up sign. His chief defence lawyer, Wirawan Adnan, said yesterday that they were not appealing on the grounds of innocence but because he had not received a fair trial. "Our client has been mistreated," he said.

More than three dozen people are awaiting trial in connection with the bombs that killed 202 people, including 26 Britons, at two nightclubs in Kuta Beach. The trials of Amrozi's two brothers, Mukhlas and Ali Imron, are already under way.

Indonesian authorities are certain that Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the group blamed for the Bali atrocity, was behind the car bomb that killed 10 people and injured 150 at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last week.

The Defence Minister, Matori Abdul Djalil, said police had established that the hotel bombers had trained with al-Qa'ida in Afghanistan or Pakistan. He said they were linked to a group of nine people arrested last month in central Java. Police seized TNT, potassium chloride and 1,000 detonators during the raid, as well as a list of potential targets. "I am sure that JI is behind all this," Mr Matori said. "There are many members on the loose in Indonesia."

The suicide bomber who drove up to the Marriott is believed to have been Asmar Latin Sani, whose head was found in the wreckage. He was identified by two JI members currently in custody, who said they had recruited him to the organisation.

The US warned yesterday of possible terrorist attacks against US interests in Indonesia. The State Department said it would increase security at official buildings, but added that terrorists were likely to seek softer targets. "Extremist elements may be planning additional attacks, particularly [on] US government officials and facilities," it said on its website.

The Indonesian national police spokesman, Zainuri Lubis, said guards would be deployed to protect commercial buildings.