Indonesia: Woman sentenced for hiding terrorist husband

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced a woman to over two years in prison for helping her husband, a wanted global terrorist, evade justice.

Judge Abdul Rosyad said Umi Delima, alias Jumiatun, was guilty of protecting and hiding her husband, Abu Wardah Santoso, in a forest in the town of Poso, Central Sulawesi, calling him the most-wanted terrorist in Indonesia.

"Sentencing the defendant Jumiatun [who was] proven legally and convincingly guilty of committing a crime by helping hide a perpetrator of terrorism," said Rosyad as quoted by detik.com.

Delima was arrested by police after Santoso was shot dead in a gun battle with the army in July 2016.

His death was a major victory for Indonesian authorities, who had pursued the extremist for years, sending thousands of security forces to track him down.

Santoso, leader of the Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen, had hidden in the forest with about 40 followers over the past five years. The group has pledged allegiance to Daesh and taken responsibility for the killing of several police officers.