Indonesia's Supreme Court? Monday said that a new appeal filed by lawyers for relatives of the Bali bombers against their imminent execution would not delay the sentence being carried out.
Imam Samudra, 38, Mukhlas, 48, and Amrozi, 46, members of the militant Islamist group Jemaah Islamiah, were sentenced to death for their role in attacks on two nightclubs in Kuta in 2002 that killed 202 people, including Indonesians and foreign tourists.
Security has been increased across Indonesia in the past few days ahead of the expected executions. On Monday, police laid down barbed wire and stationed armed officers at the entrance to the port that serves the prison island housing the three men.
The Attorney-General's office said on Saturday that the firing squad execution of the men, who have been on death row since 2003, was "very close". Authorities have previously said that all legal avenues have been exhausted.
"We lodged the judicial review to Denpasar court to question (previous) decisions," said Fahmi Bachmid, a lawyer for the families, adding separately that the appeal should be addressed by the courts before the executions could go ahead.
But Djoko Sarwoko, a Supreme Court judge, denied that the move would have an impact on the timing of the execution.
"A judicial review will not delay the implementation of the verdict, even for the death penalty," said Sarwoko, who is a spokesman for the court.
Indonesia's Supreme Court has previously thrown out requests for a judicial review, while the Constitutional Court also overruled a petition from the bombers arguing the country's method of execution by firing squad was inhumane.
The family and lawyers had tried to visit the men on Monday but were unable to get access after the port was sealed, although a laywer said they were able to send in food and a letter.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Sunday urged Australians to reconsider travel plans to Indonesia because of concerns about reprisals from supporters of the bombers. The 2002 bombings killed 88 Australians.
However, security analysts such as Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group have said it was unlikely that the executions would spark another bomb attack because Jemaah Islamiah has been severely weakened.
(China Daily via agencies November 4, 2008)
