Paroled Bali Bombmaker Apologizes to Australian People
- VIVAnews/ Muhamad Solihin
VIVA – A bomb maker in the Bali blasts that killed more than 200 people in 2002, Umar Patek apologized on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, after his released-on parole from Indonesian prison stoked the anger of the Australian government, survivors, and families of the dead.
Umar Patek, a member of the Al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah group, was jailed for 20 years in 2012 after he was found guilty of assembling bombs. The bombs had destroyed two nightclubs in Bali and killed 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians. However, he was released on parole last week.
"I apologize to the victims and their families, both at home and abroad, whatever the country, whatever the tribe, whatever the religion. I apologize to the Australian people who were deeply affected by the Bali bombing," Umar Patek said in an interview on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at a deradicalization center in East Java Province.
Patek also said he would assist the Indonesian government in its counter-terrorism efforts, adding he was ready to become an ambassador for peace.
Asisten Menteri Luar Negeri Australia Tim Watts (tengah) membawa karangan bunga dalam upacara peringatan 20 tahun bom Bali, 20 Oktober 2022.
- AFPPIX.
"Patek will be required to participate in a mentoring program until April 2030, and any violation of this could potentially lead to his parole being revoked," the Indonesian justice ministry said.
Indonesia has spearheaded a deradicalization program, alongside a security crackdown as part of its efforts to counter the rise of Islamic militancy. However, Umar Patek's release has sparked outrage in Australia.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles said that Patek's release was a difficult day for Australians, who lost loved ones and relatives in the attack.
Then, the community and partnership officer at Sydney’s Coogee Dolphins Rugby Team, Paul Vanni which lost six of its members in the Bali attack, rejected the apology. "Words don't mean anything. It's really a slap in the face. He's a killer, a murderer,"
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