Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep pleaded guilty in January to murder, intentionally causing bodily injury, conspiracy, and destruction of property in violation of the law of war, the Department of Defense (DOD) said.
They were both sent back to Malaysia in exchange for cooperating with the U.S. government by providing information on the suspect believed to have orchestrated the bombings, Encep Nurjaman, who is affiliated with al-Qaida.
Nurjaman is believed to have been responsible for the 2002 bombings and a 2003 attack on the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In 2022, a memorial service was held in Bali to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the bombings, which killed 88 Australians, seven Americans, and other foreign tourists.
A car bomb destroyed the Sari Club at the same time that a suicide bomb near Paddy’s Pub exploded. Both nightclubs were in a thriving tourist area that diminished after the bombings.
There is a vacant lot where the Sari Club once stood, while Paddy’s Pub, which wasn’t directly bombed, resumed operations in another location.
Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts spoke at the event.
“We will always remember those 202 innocent people, most under the age of 40, the youngest just 13 years old,” he said. “We stand with survivors, relatives, and families and support them at this time. And we remember the valor and the quiet courage of those who saw the worst of humanity and responded with the best.”
A Periodic Review Board (PRB) made up of members of the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and State decided in 2021 that Bajabu’s detention was no longer necessary.
The DOD reported that 29 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay, with 15 eligible for transfer.
Three detainees are eligible to go before the PRB. Seven are involved in a military commissions process, and four have been convicted and sentenced by military commissions.
