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US prosecutors brief families on long-delayed trial for accused Bali bombing terror leader
Bali newsBali10 min read
US military prosecutors have updated families of victims of the 2002 Bali bombings on the legal case against Encep "Hambali" Nurjaman, who is accused of leading the terror group behind the attack. Prosecutors indicated the trial could begin in June 2027, though the start date has been repeatedly postponed. They intend to seek 202 life sentences, one for each person killed in the bombings, to be served at Guantanamo Bay. Depositions from four Singaporeans and statements from co-conspirators Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep, along with police statements from convicted Australian terrorist Jack Roche, will form key parts of the case. Some victims' relatives and human rights advocates express doubt the trial will proceed due to years of setbacks and concerns about the CIA's use of torture to obtain information. Hambali, captured in 2003, was part of the CIA's "rendition and interrogation" program before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay. His lead defense lawyer, Lieutenant Todd Fanniff, noted unresolved disputes over evidence linked to Hambali's time in CIA detention and described the case as "uncharted territory," with no plea deal offers being negotiated.
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