INDONESIA. DEATH SOUGHT FOR ALLEGED ‘BALI 9’ RINGLEADER

Indonesian prosecutors demanded the death sentence for Myuran Sukumaran, a 25 year old Australian accused of organizing the "Bali 9" drug smuggling ring. They told Denpasar District Court that Sukumaran was one of the co-leaders of the group that allegedly attempted to smuggle 8.2 kilograms of heroin from the island to Australia on April 17, 2005. He was the first of the nine suspects who could face a death sentence.
"The defendant illegally and unlawfully exported a first-grade narcotic substance in an organized, conspiratorial way," senior prosecutor David Adji said.
"Therefore, we demand that the defendant should be punished with the death penalty."
Prosecutors said Sukumaran led the group with Andrew Chan, 21. They said sworn testimony of couriers Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj, Renae Lawrence and Martin Stephens told how Sukumaran and Chan planned, financed and directed the smuggling scheme.
The testimony also stated that Sukumaran and Chan were the individuals who strapped the illegal drugs onto the bodies of the couriers a few hours before their arrest at the island's Ngurah Rai International Airport. A death sentence was also expected to be sought for Chan.
"The gravity and quality of the role Sukumaran played in the attempted smuggling is the reason why we asked for death penalty instead of life imprisonment," David Adji said.
In a separate trial later in the day, prosecutors sought a life sentence for Czugaj. Prosecutors had demanded a similar sentence for Rush the day previously.
Authorities caught the 20-year-old Brisbane natives with drugs taped to their legs and backs as they prepared to board a flight to Sydney. Under the country's law, the prosecution demand was nonbinding for judges but was seen as a strong recommendation.