Indonesia Sentences Militant to 7 Years

Islamic militant Ahmad Rofik Ridho walks to the courtroom before the start of his trial at a district court in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 27, 2006. The court sentenced Ridho to seven years in prison Thursday for helping hide Noordin Top who allegedly helped mastermind a string of suicide bombings in the world's most populous Muslim nation. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) (Tatan Syuflana - AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- An Indonesian court sentenced an Islamic militant to seven years in prison Thursday for sheltering the man who allegedly helped mastermind a string of suicide bombings.

Ahmad Rafiq Rhido also was found guilty of illegal weapons possession, said Ardiansah Dali, the presiding judge at the South Jakarta District Court.

The court dismissed allegations, however, that Rhido was involved in a plot to assassinate Americans and other foreigners in Indonesia, saying the evidence was insufficient to support such claims.

"The defendant ... has been found guilty of having and keeping illegal firearms, hand guns, ammunition or explosives," Dali said in handing down the seven-year sentence. "We also find him guilty of helping hide terror suspect Noordin Moh Top."

Noordin is believed to be one of the key leaders of the al-Qaida-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for at least four terrorist attacks in the sprawling archipelago since 2002.

The bombings have together killed more than 260 people.

"I reject all the charges," Rhido said ahead of his trial. "I didn't do anything wrong."

Rhido's brother Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi _ killed in a police shootout in 2003 _ was suspected of involvement in a 2000 bomb attack that killed 22 people in Manila.

Rhido, 30, was the third Islamic militant since last week to be convicted and sentenced by the same court for illegal weapons possession and helping hide Noordin.

The first was Iqbal Husaini, who received a four-year jail term last Thursday, and Purnama Putra who on Monday received seven years in jail.

They were among several militants arrested in raids on the country's main island of Java in July.