Suspected Bali bomber goes on trial in Indonesia

Indonesia: A key Muslim militant arrested in the same Pakistani town where US commandos later killed Osama bin Laden went on trial in Indonesia Monday on multiple charges including premeditated murder for the 2002 Bali bombings.

Umar Patek, 45, faces five other counts, including bomb-making and illegal firearms possession, and prosecutors say they will push for the death sentence.

"Umar Patek's trial is declared open," judge Lexsy Mamonto said, before prosecutor Widodo Supriady began reading the charges.

"Defendant Umar Patek committed an evil conspiracy with others to commit a crime by bringing in, obtaining, providing or owning firearms, ammunition or explosive materials and other dangerous materials to carry out terrorism," Supriady read to the court.

The 30-page indictment also mentioned Patek's involvement in terror-related activities in Aceh province and his role in the Bali bombings.

Patek, once the most wanted terror suspect in Indonesia, had a $1 million bounty on his head under the US rewards for justice programme.

He was extradited to Indonesia after being arrested in January 2011 in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad, where US commandos later killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

His trial at the West Jakarta district court opened amid tight security, with police saying they had deployed specialist anti-terrorism and anti-mob units across the capital.

The courtroom was packed with about 30 spectators -- many of them Australian reporters -- seated on two rows of benches.

Patek, seated on a chair facing a panel of five judges, was flanked on his left by his lawyers and on his right by prosecutors.

He arrived at the court in a police armoured vehicle, escorted by armed police commandos.

Wearing a white Muslim skull cap, white pants, white shirt and an orange prison shirt, he smiled broadly to reporters before entering a holding cell inside the court building.

AFP