An Islamic militant convicted over the 2002 Bali bombings will be released from prison tomorrow and eight others are likely to have their sentences reduced to mark Indonesia's independence day, prison and justice ministry officials said.
It is an Indonesian tradition to cut jail terms on holidays, but the decision is expected to anger countries that lost citizens in the twin Bali nightclub attacks that killed 202 people.
Many of those who died were foreign tourists, among them 88 Australians.
Three militants serving time in East Kalimantan's capital of Balikpapan are due to receive reductions of four months, paving the way for one, 24-year-old Puryanto, to walk free, said Edi, a prison official who uses a single name.
Puryanto was convicted for allowing two suspects to take refuge in his house and received four years and eight months.
Eight others in the main prison on Bali island are expected to receive sentence reductions of one to six months, said Anak Agung Mayun Mataram, a justice ministry official.
The prisoners are serving sentences of between five to 16 years and were convicted on various charges from robbery tied to helping fund the plot or hiding key figures.
Two other prisoners at the jail in Bali had not been put forward for remission since they were serving life sentences over the bombings.
A total of 33 people were jailed over the 2002 Bali blasts.
Among these, Amrozi, Ali Gufron, and Imam Samudra are being held on death row in a jail in Java province for their leading roles in the bombings and are due to be executed this month.
Australia protested against the release in June of Abu Bakar Bashir, a Muslim cleric who served 26 months of a 30-month sentence for conspiracy in the 2002 Bali blasts.
The radical cleric's sentence was cut for last year's independence day.
Agencies