Bali bomber tells reporter. “The US and UK are doomed because God will only allow Islam to survive”
We killed too many, say Bali bombers
Three Islamic radicals behind the bombings in which 202 people died talk in prison to our writer about faith, mass murder and their impending execution by firing squad
Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, 46, dubbed “the smiling bomber”, was the village mechanic who bought the explosives and the Mitsubishi van used as a car bomb. He rose from the floor, kissed me on both cheeks and said, “Salaam aleikum [peace be upon you],” with a cheery grin.
The second explosion was much bigger than they had expected, he said.
The only explanation, he suggested, was that “the CIA or KGB or Mossad” - those familiar bogeymen of the conspiracy theorist – had somehow tampered with the bomb. “It is very possible,” he claimed.
His targets, he said, were “antiMuslims, especially people from the USA, Australia, members of Nato, elements of what people call the alliance because they know it’s a crusader army”.
What would he say to the families of his victims?
“To Muslim people I would say pardon - but Muslims only. While the unbelievers - they must be entering into hell. Allah says to all unbelievers that this road will bring you to hell,” he said.
I call you to Islam,” he said to me. “Islam is peace. Tomorrow belongs to Islam.”
It was almost a relief when Amrozi came over, sat down and squeezed my leg in a friendly manner. “My smile is my weapon,” he explained. “It makes my enemies upset. This is a very special weapon for jihad.”
Amrozi said he had read 500 books while in custody, mainly on Islam, and that he studied developments pointing to the imminent ruin of the United States, sometimes without any need of news media.