Indonesia denies execution of Bali bombers imminent

The execution of three Indonesian men convicted for the 2002 Bali bombs is not imminent since the Supreme Court still needs to respond to a legal appeal, a spokesman for the Attorney-General's office said on Thursday.

Australia media reports, quoting the father of one of the victims of the attacks citing Australian Federal Police, had said the executions were "imminent".

The three Islamic militants, Amrozi, his brother Mukhlas alias Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudra have been on death row since 2003 when a Bali court sentenced them to death for their roles in the nightclub bombings that killed 202 foreigners and Indonesians on the island in 2002.

"We are waiting for the Supreme Court decision because they (the Bali bombers) filed a third case review. So we are waiting for that," Bonaventura Daulat Nainggolan, a spokesman for the Attorney-General's office said.

Other Indonesian courts have repeatedly upheld the death sentences.

The Attorney-General's office, which is in charge of overseeing executions, had made preparations "at a coordination stage", said Nainggolan.

"We have just alerted other institutions who are related to the execution process, to await the Supreme Court's decision since they (the bombers) have dismissed their right to clemency.

"If there is no pending legal process then the execution will be conducted," he added.

The filing of a third case review appears to be unprecedented.

In most cases, only one case review is allowed, although there are a handful of examples when the Supreme Court has considered a second review.

The three are being held in a maximum security jail on Nusakambangan island in Central Java, hundreds of kilometres from their families who live in East and West Java.

The three Bali bombers have repeatedly told the media they are ready to die as martyrs and will not seek presidential clemency.

Indonesia does not make public the timing and exact location of executions, but a deputy attorney-general told reporters in May that it would be done in Central Java.
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