'Demolition Man' Jailed Over Bali Bombings

An Indonesian court has sentenced bomb maker Umar Patek to 20 years in prison for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings.

Patek, 45, was found guilty of six charges, some of which related to the twin suicide bombings on a nightclub and bar that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.

The sentencing brings an end a 10-year probe into the nation's deadliest act of terror.

The Islamist militant - known as "demolition man" - was found guilty of premeditated murder linked to the Bali bombings, and other charges related to the Christmas Eve bombings in 2000 on several churches that killed 19 people in Jakarta.

Upon hearing his fate in the West Jakarta district court, Patek - a leading member of the al Qaeda-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah - stood up and shook the judges and prosecutors' hands, before hugging his own lawyer.

"Umar Patek is very disappointed with the sentence and considers it too severe," said his lawyer Asludin Hatjani.

"He has been honest and admitted what he's done, and he feels the court has not taken that into consideration."

The decisions were made by a panel of five judges, who delivered their verdict after a gruelling 11-hour hearing.

Prosecutors had sought a life sentence, sparing Patek from the firing squad that executed three other key players in the Bali attacks.

He was not sentenced to death because he had shown remorse during the four-month trial.

Patek claimed he was "against it from the start" and had tried to stop the attack at the 11th hour.

He also apologised to victims and their families.

But chief judge Encep Yuliardi said: "He should know that no matter how small his role, the result is loss of lives.

"He had said he disagreed with it, but he could have rejected and could have considered not to follow the orders of his seniors or at least report to the authorities."

Before his arrest, Patek was the most-wanted terror suspect in Indonesia and the United States had a $1m bounty on his head.

After more than eight years on the run he was arrested in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad in January 2011, where US commandos killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden four months later.