Court hands Bali bomber 20-year term

JAKARTA — An Indonesian militant accused of helping to build a massive car bomb used in the deadly 2002 Bali nightclub attacks has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Known as “Demolition Man,” Umar Patek is a leading member of the Al-Qaeda-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah. He was found guilty by the West Jakarta District Court of violating the country’s harsh anti-terror law.

In Thursday’s ruling, the five-member judge panel also convicted 45-year-old Patek for his role in Jakarta church attacks on Christmas Eve in 2000 that killed 19.

Patek is the last main suspect in the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali resort island attacks that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians and seven Americans.

Patek can appeal the ruling to a higher court.

More than 240 police, including a team of snipers, were deployed in and around the court building Thursday for the last session of Patek’s trial. — AP