August 8, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-us-Sani 9, 1424

DENPASAR, Aug 7: An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced to death a militant known as the “laughing bomber” — the first person to be convicted for the Bali terrorist attack which killed 202 people.

The judgement sparked celebrations from victims packed into the court and defiance from the bomber Amrozi, who smiled broadly and raised his fists in triumph before being led away by police.

“Amrozi has been legally and convincingly proven guilty of terrorism. We hereby ... hand down the death sentence on Amrozi,” said chief judge I Made Karna, to applause inside and outside the court.

He described the attack on two crowded nightspots as a “crime against humanity.”

Amrozi, who has said he wants to die a martyr, also gave a thumbs-up to spectators as police led him out.

He has seven days to decide whether to appeal the sentence, which would be carried out by firing squad.

The bombings on the resort island last October 12 were the worst terror attack since September 11, 2001 in the United States.

Investigators say the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) group targeted nightclubs popular with foreigners as part of a holy war to avenge oppression of Muslims worldwide.

Police say a hotel bombing in Jakarta on Tuesday, in which at least 10 people died, was also linked to JI.

Amrozi, a village mechanic aged 41, was the first of 34 people to be detained following a huge multinational investigation. —AFP