BALI: The Islamic militant accused of planning last year's Bali bombings targeted the tourist island as part of a “program of jihad'' against the United States in retaliation for its invasion of Afghanistan, a key witness said Wednesday.
Ali Imron, who is himself a suspect in the Oct. 12 bombings, testified that in a meeting to plan the attack, alleged mastermind Imam Samudra told a group of 10 bombers that jihad, or “holy war,'' must be waged to “defend the people of Afghanistan from America.''