Some 500 protesters demanding execution of three militants on death row over the 2002 blasts on Indonesia’s Bali island broke into a jail on Wednesday where the inmates had been held until the previous day, witnesses said.
Wearing traditional Balinese headbands and sarongs, some protesters climbed over the outer fence of the Kerobokan prison while others knocked down a steel door into the jail.
Witnesses said protesters were in front of the access door to the main cells, shouting “Kill Amrozi! Kill! Kill! Kill!” and “We have been waiting for three years.”
Citing security concerns, authorities moved the three on death row -- Imam Samudra, Amrozi and his brother Mukhlas, also known as Ali Gufron, to a prison island off Java on Tuesday. A number of other convicted Bali bombers are still in the jail.
Amrozi was the first militant arrested and was dubbed the "smiling bomber" for his expressions of delight during court appearances.
Third anniversary
Wednesday marks the third anniversary of the 2002 nightclub attacks, which killed 202 people, mainly tourists.
As the anniversary has approached and in the wake of fresh suicide attacks on the Hindu island on Oct. 1 that killed 20 people, anger among ordinary Balinese has grown at the impact the violence will again have on their vital tourism industry.
Scores of Balinese have held protests in recent days, demanding the immediate execution of the three death row bombers. Their appeals process has almost been exhausted.
Some 30 militants have been arrested and tried over the 2002 blasts. Execution is carried out by firing squad in Indonesia.
