Indonesia: Militant Santoso’s Widow on Trial for Terror-Related Charges

Covered from head to toe in a black veil and robe, the widow of one of Indonesia’s top militants entered a North Jakarta District courtroom Monday for the latest hearing in her own trial on terrorism-related charges.

Jumiatun Muslimayatun (alias Umi Delima), 23, is facing charges stemming from her arrest in Central Sulawesi province in July 2016, soon after her fugitive husband was gunned down in a firefight with security forces in Poso, a local regency.

Santoso (alias Abu Wardah), led the Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT), which had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) before he was killed on July 18, 2016. Up until his death, he was the most wanted militant in Indonesia. The number of members left in MIT has dwindled to nine since then, officials said.

Before Jumiatun’s arrest five days later, police alleged that she had joined her husband as a militant, and had undergone military training organized by MIT as well as carried an M-16 rifle. She was with her husband during the fatal shootout but escaped.

“(She) is often irritable. We understand that their thinking is not like us,” an officer with Densus 88, Indonesia’s elite counter-terrorist police squad, who was guarding the defendant at Monday’s hearing, told BenarNews.

Another Densus 88 member warned against taking pictures as Jumiatun entered the courtroom.

A prosecutor asked that BenarNews not quote the names of judges, prosecutors, and the Densus 88 officer who escorted her.

“As you know yourselves, they (MIT) still have their members. Please help keep our privacy,” the prosecutor told BenarNews.

Jumiatun, who hails from West Nusa Tenggara province, joined MIT in mid-2014, after her first husband, an MIT member was killed by security officers. She became Santoso’s second wife and joined MIT to seek revenge for her dead husband, prosecutors allege.

Testimony

Surya Pranowo, an officer with the central forensic laboratory of South Sulawesi Province who is an expert in ammunition and explosives, testified Monday that laboratory results showed there were traces of residual sugar in a flash powder explosive used by Santoso’s group.

“Brown sugar is found in the mixture of explosives to cause the flame, as it contains sucrose and serves as a fuel,” he said. “If you want to burn a building, for example, you can add brown sugar in the mixture of explosives.”

Surya discussed chemicals used by MIT to make the flash powder, such as potassium chlorate and sulfur. “These materials can be purchased at stores that sell chemicals,” Surya said.

The flash powder made by Santoso’s group was considered low-explosive.

“(Its scope) was below 300 meters per second or below the speed of sound. But of course, the concentrations of explosives determine the size of the explosion,” Surya said on the witness stand.

Evidence

Prosecutors presented an M-16 rifle with five rounds as evidence.

“Based on results of a physical examination, this weapon has been used to shoot,” ballistics expert Supriadi, another witness for the prosecution, testified. He described the M-16 itself as a standard military weapon.

“This long-barreled M-16 cannot be owned by individuals. Even police do not have this kind of weapon,” testified Supriadi who had been asked to examine antitank weapons made in the United States and a revolver once owned by MIT.

“This group possessed many weapons. We don’t know how they got them,” the chief judge said while observing testimony.

Meanwhile Jumiatun’s lawyer, Kamsi, insisted that his client is innocent and only served Santoso as a wife.

“She followed her husband into the forest because of her obligations as a wife. She had nothing to do with the group’s activities,” he told BenarNews after the hearing.

The next court date is March 13. If convicted, Jumiatun could face up to 20 years in prison.