The last surviving bomber of the Bali blasts that killed more than 200 people has expressed his regret but victims have rejected his apology.
Ali Imron was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the explosions that ripped through a nightclub and bar on the Indonesian resort island, killing 202 people including 88 Australians in the deadliest terrorist attack in South-east Asia.
"I will regret it until I die and I will apologise until I die," he told AFP on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the bombings, appearing uncuffed in front of an Indonesian flag and a picture of President Joko Widodo at Jakarta's sprawling metro police headquarters.
But victims and the Australian government have refused to accept the remorse of the remaining members of the Bali bomb cell.
"When people are in a bind they will say anything to get out of the problem," said Thiolina Marpaung, a 47-year-old survivor left with permanent eye injuries.
"He said that because he was sentenced to life."
Imron, 52, helped to mastermind the bombings. He built the devices, planted a bomb outside the US consulate in Bali and trained the attackers who detonated a suicide vest and a van loaded with explosives.
The only Bali bomber still alive now languishes in a drug offenders' centre, instead of prison, after claiming repentance and aiding Indonesia's deradicalisation efforts.
His brothers Amrozi and Mukhlas were executed by firing squad on a prison island in central Java.
But Imron was saved from execution after showing remorse and divulging the plot to investigators.
The convicted mass murderer now helps the Indonesian government in a deradicalisation programme criticised by experts for its perceived ineffectiveness.
Indonesia in August approved parole for Bali bombmaker Umar Patek. After his capture in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad in 2011, he claims to have been rehabilitated after serving half of his 20-year sentence.
But Jakarta has held off from releasing him after angering the Australian government.
"We have made representations to the Indonesian government about the release of individuals convicted for their role in the Bali bombings, noting the distress it would cause victims and families," an Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade representative told AFP.
"Ultimately, these are matters for the government of Indonesia and its domestic legal processes."
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will attend a memorial ceremony on Wednesday at the Bali consulate in Canberra, an Australian diplomat said.
Imron is hoping for a similar decision on his sentence. He said he submitted a request for a presidential pardon this year but had received no response.
There have been no reports of Indonesian officials discussing his release.
Indonesia's National Counter Terrorism Agency, Justice Ministry and a presidential adviser did not respond to a request for comment.
While the programme's terms for early release are strict — participants must pledge allegiance to Indonesia and disavow their criminal networks — the potential release of convicted mass murderers is divisive.
Experts are critical of leniency for militants such as Imron who aligned with the now-banned Jemaah Islamiyah group, Al Qaeda's much-diminished network in Indonesia.
"How do they think?" said Sana Jaffrey, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta. "Nobody knows. You never know if it's sincere or not. But you have to look at the actions."
Imron said he acted on the orders of his older brother after the US invasion of Afghanistan but now calls it a "wrong act of jihad".
He claimed to have since helped to deradicalise at least 400 extremists. He has also fronted a comic-book campaign that preached tolerance to young Indonesians.
If released, he said he would "continue walking on the path of a deradicalisation campaign".
It is a message analysts say Imron may be promoting in the hope of an early release.
"It's part of his survival mechanism, this is something he has to say," said South-east Asian terrorism specialist Noor Huda Ismail.
It is hard to tell if Imron has truly been deradicalised, with his word his only evidence.
He showed little emotion when speaking about the attack and sought to re-emphasise his counter-extremism work despite being a jailed terrorist himself.
Whatever the case, Imron wants to tell the people whose lives he affected that his actions were wrong.
"I will always apologise profusely to them," he said.
But for Ms Marpaung, only God can judge Imron.
"Please don't give a sentence cut," she said.
"He can say that he has repented and he has changed but only God truly knows the truth."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
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Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
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