An Indonesian court yesterday jailed an Islamic State group supporter for eight years for his role in a deadly gun and suicide bombing attack in Jakarta, the latest extremist sentenced over the assault, reports AFP.
Ali Makhmudin, 41, was found guilty of breaking anti-terror laws by helping prepare bombs used in the attack in the heart of the Indonesian capital in January, which killed four civilians and four attackers.
The attack—the first claimed by IS in Southeast Asia—saw dramatic scenes as a suicide bomber blew himself up in a Starbucks and security forces battled gun-toting militants.
It was the first major attack for seven years in Indonesia, which has long struggled with Islamic militancy. A Jakarta court found Makhmudin guilty of committing an act of terror and sentenced him to eight years in jail.
Although he did not directly take part in the assault, presiding Judge Muhammad Noor said his actions had nevertheless “caused widespread public fear and ran counter to the government’s programme to eradicate terrorism”.