Umar Patek, who was jailed for 20 years for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings, has had his sentence reduced by another five months as part of Indonesia’s Independence Day celebrations.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the decision would add to the “distress and trauma” of victims’ loved ones ahead of the 20th anniversary of the attack that killed 202 people, 88 of them Australians.
This is what we know.
Who is Umar Patek?
Patek was accused of being the expert bomb maker for Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a Southeast Asian terrorist network linked to Al Qaeda.
Evidence at his 2012 trial suggested former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden gave JI $30,000 to wage jihad and Patek may have met him in a Pakistani city, a claim Patek has repeatedly denied .
He went into hiding after the attacks, and was on the most wanted terrorist list in several countries, with the US offering a million dollar reward for his head.
Patek was eventually captured in Abbottabad, Pakistan in 2011 and extradited to Indonesia.
In addition to his conviction for the Bali attacks, he was also found guilty of weapons and conspiracy charges at a terrorist training camp in Aceh in 2009, and of mixing explosives for a series of Christmas Eve attacks in churches in 2000.
Local media said Patek has been participating in a deradicalization program for several years.
In 2015, Major General Agus Surya Bakti, who led Indonesia’s deradicalization efforts through its counter-terrorism agency, spoke about Patek’s success in the program.
“It’s an extraordinary thing,” he said.
Umar Patek (second from left) took part in a flag-raising ceremony at Porong Prison to mark Independence Day in 2017. (Reuters: Antara Photo/Umarul Faruq)
What was his role in the attack?
The bombs exploded at the Sari Club and Paddy’s Bar in Kuta around 11pm on 12 October 2002.
Patek made some of the bombs used in the attack, and local media called him the “wrecking man” during his trial.
He admitted to mixing up to 50 kilograms of explosives and packing them in filing cabinets used to bring the bomb to the Sari Club.
During his trial, Patek downplayed his role in the terror plot and argued that he did not know how the bombs would be used.
What do we know about his sentence?
Patek was convicted of premeditated murder.
He was spared the death penalty because he cooperated with investigators and apologized to the victims’ families, and was eventually sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The ABC understands he has been granted routine remissions of his sentence, bringing his release date forward to 2029.
Typically, with incremental reductions and good behavior, inmates are eligible for parole after serving about two-thirds of their sentence.
He was due to be eligible for parole in January.
When could I walk free?
There are reports that he could be released within days, but that is only if he is granted parole.
The ABC has been told that terrorists are not usually eligible for parole.
And Indonesian authorities say no decision has been made on whether he will be released.
If he is not granted parole, he will be in prison until 2029.
There has been no decision on whether Umar Patek will be paroled. (AFP: Adek Berry/File)
Is Australia doing anything about it?
On ABC Breakfast, Mr Albanese said his government was in contact with Indonesia about it, but did not go into detail:
“We continue to make diplomatic representations in Australia’s interest and will continue to do so on a range of matters relating to security and sentencing, including the sentencing of Australians currently held in Indonesia. We will continue to take that diplomatic action in the national interest of Australia”.
What about the other people involved in the attack?
In 2008, Imam Samudra, Amrozi and Mukhlas were executed for their role in the attack.
Abu Bakar Bashir, who was found guilty of conspiracy in the Bali bombings, was released from prison after 26 months in 2006 after his sentence was shortened.
He received a 15-year prison sentence in 2011 for supporting militant training camps, but was released last year.
As a former JI military commander, Aris Sumarsono, better known as Zulkarnaen, was accused of directing the attacks.
In January, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison under a chain on terrorism charges, but could not be tried in connection with the Bali attacks because the statute of limitations had expired.