One of those convicted of the 2002 terrorist attacks in Bali (Indonesia), which left more than 200 people dead, was released on Wednesday after serving just over half of the 20-year prison term he was sentenced to.
The accused, Umar Patek, known by the alias Hisyam bin Alizein and arrested in Pakistan in 2011, had helped to make the bombs that exploded at various points on the island and also caused the death of dozens of foreign tourists, mainly Australian nationals.
Patek has left Surabaya prison with a commitment to appear regularly before the authorities until April 2030, according to a spokeswoman for the prison authorities, Rika Aprianti. «He meets all the requirements for release, including showing good behavior and participating in deradicalization programs,» she said in a statement.
Indeed, Indonesia has defended Patek’s apparent deradicalization as a success story, although in Australia the news of the release has generated controversy. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, had already said it would cause «further distress» to the families of the victims.
