View source for Imam Samudra

{{Short description|Indonesian terrorist (1970–2008)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name              = Imam Samudra
| image             = Imam Samudra.jpg
| image_size        = 200
| alt               = 
| caption           =
| birth_name        = Abdul Aziz
| birth_date        = {{birth date|df=y|1970|1|14}}
| birth_place       = [[Serang]], [[West Java]] (now [[Banten]]), Indonesia
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|df=y|2008|11|9|1970|1|14}}
| death_place       = [[Nusa Kambangan]], [[Central Java]], Indonesia
| resting_place     = 
| residence         = 
| nationality       = [[Indonesians|Indonesian]]
| other_names       = {{bulleted list|Abdul Aziz|Qudama|Fatih|Abu Umar|Heri}}
| occupation        = 
| known_for         = [[Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia bombings]] and [[2002 Bali bombings]]
| height            = 
| weight            = 
| predecessor       = 
| successor         = 
| criminal_charge   = 
| penalty           = [[Capital punishment|Death]]
| conviction_status = [[Executed]]
| spouse            = <!-- Do not include unless notable or relevant to the crime involved -->
| children          = <!-- (as above) -->
| parents           = <!-- (as above) -->
| allegiance        = {{bulleted list|[[Jemaah Islamiyah]]|[[al-Qaeda]]}}
| motive            = 
| conviction        = Carrying out an act of [[terrorism]]
| reward_amount     = 
| capture_status    = 
| wanted_by         = 
| partners          = {{bulleted list|[[Huda bin Abdul Haq]]|[[Amrozi bin Nurhasyim]]}}
| wanted_since      = 
| time_at_large     = 
| escaped           = 
| escape_end        = 
| comments          = 
| victims           = 
| date              = {{start date|df=y|2002|10|12}}
| time              = 23:05 [[Time in Indonesia|CIT]] ([[UTC+08:00]])
| beginyear         = 
| endyear           = 
| country           = 
| states            = 
| locations         = [[Bali]], Indonesia
| targets           = Two nightclubs with Western clientele, US Consular office
| fatalities        = 202
| injuries          = 209
| weapons           = [[Suicide attack|Suicide bombing]], [[car bomb]], and  [[Explosive belt|bomb vest]] using [[potassium chlorate]]
| apprehended       = {{start date|2002|11|21|df=y}}
| imprisoned        = 
| footnotes         = <ref name=bbc/><ref name=bbctimeline/><ref name=bbcprofile/><ref name=cnn/>
| death_cause       = [[Execution by firing squad]]
}}

'''Imam Samudra''' ({{langx|ar|الإمام سامودرة|al-Imām Sāmūdirah}}, 14 January 1970 – 9 November 2008), also known as '''Abdul Aziz''',<ref name=bbcprofile>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2499943.stm|title=The Bali bomb 'commander'|work=[[BBC News]]|date=8 November 2008|access-date=20 January 2015}}</ref> '''Qudama/Kudama''', '''Fatih/Fat''', '''Abu Umar''' or '''Heri''',<ref name=cnn>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/world/0211/profile.bali.suspects/content2.html |title=Imam Samudra profile |work=[[CNN]] |access-date=8 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031011220418/http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/world/0211/profile.bali.suspects/content2.html |archive-date=11 October 2003 }}</ref> was an Indonesian terrorist who was convicted and executed for his role in carrying out the [[Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia bombings]] and [[2002 Bali bombings]].<ref name=bbc>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19881138|title=The 12 October 2002 Bali bombing plot|work=BBC News Asia|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=11 October 2012|access-date=20 January 2015}}</ref> Samudra, together with [[Huda bin Abdul Haq]] (known as Muklas) and [[Amrozi bin Nurhasyim]] (known as Amrozi) were executed together for their part in coordinating and carrying out the Bali bombings.<ref name=bbctimeline>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3126241.stm|title=Timeline: Bali bomb trials|work=[[BBC News]]|date=8 November 2008|access-date=20 January 2015}}</ref>

==Early life==
Samudra was born as Abdul Aziz in [[Serang]], [[Banten]] (then part of [[West Java]] province), he was raised by a single mother as one of 12 children. Samudra graduated from an Islamic school. He left home in 1990 and did not return for a decade - and then only for a few hours before disappearing again, according to his mother.  He went to [[Malaysia]] and taught at a religious school in the south of the country in the early 1990s. Indonesian authorities say the school was run by the suspected leaders of the militant [[Jemaah Islamiyah]] group - [[Abu Bakar Ba'aysir]], the group's spiritual leader, and [[Riduan Isamuddin]], also known as Hambali.<ref name=bbcprofile/>

==Bali bombings==
On 12 October 2002 two bombs exploded in the [[Kuta, Bali|Kuta]] tourist area on [[Bali]], [[Indonesia]]. One hit Paddy's Irish Bar, and the second exploded in a van outside the nearby Sari club. 202 people were killed.

A third bomb exploded near Bali's US consulate, but no one was hurt.<ref name=bbctimeline/> Arrested on 21 November 2002, Samudra was about to board a ferry for [[Sumatra]]. Police believe he was the planner or "field commander" of the Bali operation.<ref name=bbctimeline/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2509589.stm|title=Police to quiz Bali 'mastermind' |work=[[BBC News]]|date=25 November 2002|access-date=20 January 2015|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Explaining his motives for the bombing to documentarian {{ill|Daniel Rudi Haryanto|id|Daniel Rudi Haryanto}} from prison, Samudra stated (translated into English by Haryanto):<ref name="PrisonAndParadise">{{cite AV media|date=2010|last=Haryanto|first=Daniel Rudi|author-link=:id:Daniel Rudi Haryanto|title=Prison and Paradise|publisher=[[Asia Pacific Films]]|location=[[Honolulu]]|oclc=865004487|minutes=22:15}} {{IMDb title|qid=Q123680778|title=Prison and Paradise}}.</ref>

{{blockquote|Sometimes, Jews and Christians are more convinced by the Koran compared to Moslems themselves. They attack Islamic nations because they are afraid the words inside Koran would become reality. So, it's not about oil or nuclear issues at all... I am more convinced by the Koran rather than human analysis. So, it's a matter of {{Transliteration|ar|[[aqidah]]}} (faith). Until judgment day comes there will never be peace. Unless Islam gets the victory.}}

===Trial===
Samudra went on trial on 2 June 2003 and testified on 16 July 2003:<ref name=bbctimeline/>

{{blockquote|...[the bombing was] justifiable [under Islamic teachings].... [to] avenge the killings of Muslims by the United States and its allies.|Imam Samudra, during his trial, July 2003.}}

===Sentence and execution===
On 10 September 2003, he was found guilty for his role in the Bali bombing and [[death penalty|sentenced to death]]. Originally incarcerated in Denpasar's [[Kerobokan Prison]], he was moved to the high-security prison island of [[Nusakambangan]]. On 20 November he lodged an appeal against his sentence.<ref name=bbctimeline/>

Together with the two other bombers who received death sentences, he launched a constitutional challenge against the use of [[firing squad]]s. Samudra and the two other bombers preferred [[Decapitation|beheading]], saying that it was a more Islamic form of execution.<ref name=bbcdateset>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7688178.stm|title=Bali bombers' execution date set|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 October 2008|date=24 October 2008}}</ref> Despite an initial decision by Muklas, Amrozi and Imam Samudr to not seek a [[President of Indonesia|Presidential]] pardon, on 21 August 2006, Muklas and his co-conspirators authorised their lawyers to file a last appeal which was lodged on 7 December on the basis of retroactive legislation. On 25 September 2008, the [[Supreme Court of Indonesia]] rejected the final appeals of Imam Samudra and Mukhlas; having dismissed Amrozi's appeal earlier that month.<ref name=bbctimeline/> In October 2008, he remained unrepentant and claimed revenge would be taken for his death.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/01/2379598.htm|title='Bali bombers threaten revenge over executions'|last=Thompson|first=Geoff|date=1 October 2008|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|location=Australia|access-date=1 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002012002/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/01/2379598.htm|archive-date=2 October 2008 | url-status= dead}}</ref> During the month, his final appeals were rejected and the Attorney General's office announced that he would be executed by firing squad in early November 2008.<ref name=bbctimeline/><ref name=bbcdateset/>

According to a source in Indonesia's Attorney General Office, the execution was to be done before the end of Sunday, 9 November 2008. This was reportedly delayed from the original plan to allow a representative from the family to identify the body post-execution. However, no representative from Samudra's family were in attendance.<ref>{{cite web|year=2008|url=http://www.detiknews.com/read/2008/11/08/064725/1033376/10/negosiasi-dini-hari-dan-pilihan-yang-sulit|title=Negosiasi Dini Hari dan Pilihan yang Sulit|work=Detik.com|language=id|access-date=8 November 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|year=2008|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=asw8s9J_glrw&refer=asia|title=Three Bali Bombers May Be Executed Tonight, Indonesia Says|publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=8 November 2008}}</ref>

Samudra, along with Amrozi and Huda bin Abdul Haq were executed by firing squad at 00:15 on 9 November 2008.<ref>{{cite web|year=2008 |url=http://www.antara.co.id/arc/2008/11/9/kronologi-resmi-eksekusi-amrozi-cs/ |title=Bali bomb burials stoke tensions |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=BBC |access-date=9 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216115409/http://www.antara.co.id/arc/2008/11/9/kronologi-resmi-eksekusi-amrozi-cs/ |archive-date=16 December 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Published works==
From his cell, he wrote an [[autobiography]] titled ''I Fight Terrorists'' (''Aku Melawan Teroris'' in [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]), where the "terrorists" are the Americans. It went on sale for {{USD}}3, on a run of 5,000 copies.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X51dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zlwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4399,3799988&dq=journey+into+the+mind+of+an+islamic+terrorist&hl=en|title=Bali bomber autobiography exposes mind of terrorist. Book reveals how Imam Samudra took the path that led him to kill 202 people|work=[[The Telegraph-Herald]]|date=18 September 2004|page=6A}}</ref> In 2004, ''[[CNN]]'' described the book as a "bestseller in Indonesia".<ref>{{cite news|work=[[CNN]]|author=Ressa, Maria|date=12 October 2004|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/10/12/bali.samudra/|title=Bali bomber to best selling author}}</ref>

==See also==
{{stack|{{portal|Indonesia|Islam}}}}
*[[List of terrorist incidents in Indonesia]]
*[[Terrorism in Indonesia]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080511222106/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article617892.ece Death row bomber plotted new attack on smuggled laptop]{{spaced endash}}requires login

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Samudra, Imam}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:2002 Bali bombings]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:21st-century executions by Indonesia]]
[[Category:Executed Indonesian people]]
[[Category:Executed mass murderers]]
[[Category:Indonesian imams]]
[[Category:Indonesian mass murderers]]
[[Category:Indonesian Muslims]]
[[Category:Indonesian people convicted of murder]]
[[Category:Inmates of Nusa Kambangan prison]]
[[Category:Islamist bombers]]
[[Category:Islamist mass murderers]]
[[Category:Jemaah Islamiyah]]
[[Category:People convicted of murder by Indonesia]]
[[Category:People executed by Indonesia by firing squad]]
[[Category:People imprisoned on terrorism charges]]
[[Category:Terrorism in Indonesia]]