‘Tired’ Indonesian Bali bomber seeks pardon to continue deradicalisation work, but ‘chances are low’
- Ali Imron, in prison for 21 years for his role in the 2002 Bali bombing that killed 202 people, has been speaking out against radical ideology in Indonesia
- But any potential release is likely to be highly controversial, one observer says, as memories of the bombing are still ‘a source of pain’ for victims’ relatives
Indonesian Bali bomber Ali Imron says he is “tired”.
Imron has been in prison since 2003, after being found guilty of helping carry out a fatal bomb plot on the Indonesian island of Bali that killed 202 people and wounded a further 200. The attack was orchestrated by Jemaah Islamiah, a hardline Islamist group.
“I don’t want to be released purely for personal reasons,” Imron, 54, told This Week in Asia. “I want to be free so that I can work on deradicalisation programmes across Indonesia. From a personal point of view, I am better off inside where there is no risk to my life.”
Since his arrest, Imron has worked with Indonesia’s counterterrorism unit as a peace ambassador, which has seen him speak at schools and other events outside prison to warn others of the dangers of radical ideology. He has also regularly given interviews from prison to further help deradicalise would-be terrorists, who he said still presented a threat in Indonesia.
