Indonesian man sentenced for housing Southeast Asian terror leader Noordin

[News_Editor]

Indonesian man sentenced for housing Southeast Asian terror leader Noordin

2010-10-26 20:29:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) – An Indonesian man on Tuesday was sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for hiding the so-called "Al-Qaeda in the Malay Archipelago" leader, Noordin Mohammed Top.

Baharudin Baridin Latif, 56, was convicted for housing the terror mastermind on several occasions in his Cilacap residence, located in the Central Java province. During his visits, he was presented as a professor of a seminar in Sulawesi.

Top, who was killed during a police raid about a year ago, is believed to be responsible for the suicide bomb attacks against Jakarta's JW Marriot and Ritz-Carlton in July 2009. Latif was arrested a few months after the bombings.

"Legally and convincingly proven, the defendant deliberately concealed criminal terrorism," Judge Subiyantoro said, before sentencing him to prison for 54 months - or 4.5 years.

Latif even went on to marry Top's daughter, Arina Rahmah, and has two children with her. Prosecutors were seeking a longer prison term, but because of his cooperation, it was reduced.

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