Starbucks Bombing Victim Surprises Indonesian Judges by Hugging His Alleged Attacker

Jakarta, MINA – An Indonesian bombing victim has surprised judges and onlookers by hugging his alleged attacker in court — in an apparent reconciliatory gesture, ABC News reported.

Aman Abdurrahman, 46, is on trial in the South Jakarta District Court, accused of orchestrating the January 2016 bomb and gun attacks on a Starbucks cafe in Jakarta, and nearby Sarinah Department store.

Seven people were killed in the attack, including several innocent bystanders and three attackers. It remains the worst terror attack in Indonesia for more than a decade.

Abdurrahman was a former member of Jemaah Islamiah — the terror group responsible for the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings. He has since pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Indonesian prosecutors allege Abdurrahman plotted the attack from the high-security Nusa Kambangan jail in central Java, where he has served a nine-year sentence for funding terrorist training camps in Aceh province.

Traffic policeman Denny Mahieu — stationed at a police post outside the department store — survived the bombing, but told judges he has never regained the full use of his legs.

“I’m not afraid but what I regret is that I can no longer kneel to pray. I have to sit in a chair,” he said.

Mr Mahieu asked the court for compensation to pay for his ongoing medical bills, and said he relies on constant drugs to relieve chronic pain.

Prosecutors showed the court a backpack used by one of the bombers, along with bags of nuts and bolts gathered at the scene, allegedly used to make the bombs.

Panel of Judges and onlookers surprised

Under questioning by defence lawyers, Mr Mahieu admitted he had no idea whether Abdurrahman was behind the Starbucks bombing.

But in a sudden move that appeared to take the panel of judges by surprise, he asked their permission to approach the terror suspect.

He then crossed the court room and hugged his alleged attacker, apparently telling him “we’re brothers, we’re both Sundanese [an ethnic group in west Java]”.

Abdurrahman smiled awkwardly.

As he was led away, he declared he was innocent of the Starbucks attack.

“I had nothing to do with it. I’ve been in jail since 2010, and I’m still in jail,” he said.

The case has been adjourned until Tuesday.

Abdurrahman is also accused of inspiring a spate of other attacks, including a bus station bombing in Jakarta last year, which killed three policemen, and a church bombing in East Kalimantan province in 2016, in which a toddler died.

If he is found guilty of the Starbucks attack he could face the death penalty.

Several other suspects are still under investigation for their alleged role in the attack. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)