On the day three convicted bombers were executed for their roles in the 2002 Bali blast, which killed 202 people, Man Haron Monis, the Australian hostage taker, wrote a letter congratulating the families of the men on their martyrdom.
Man Haron Monis, who also wrote under the name Sheikh Haron, published the letter on his website. Dated November 9, 2008, the letter is addressed to the families of “Martyr Amrozi, Martyr Imam Samudra and Martyr Mukhlas.” These are the names of three men convicted for their roles in the 2002 Bali bombing. All three were sentenced to death and executed together by firing squad on November 9, 2008. The letter reads:
Three Muslim brothers have joined the holy group of martyrs. They are alive according to God’s word in the Holy Quran chapter 3 verse 169. I congratulate you, the family of martyr Amrozi, martyr Imam Samudra and martyr Mukhlas. Congratulations for having a martyr in your family. We should celebrate when a Muslim joins the martyrs.
May Allah (swt) bless you.
Wassalamu alaikum
Yours sincerely,
Sheikh Haron
The 2002 Bali bombing took place at Paddy’s Pub and the Sari Club, two bars which were frequented by tourists. Two bombs killed 202 people including 88 Australians, 27 UK citizens and 7 Americans. A third bomb detonated outside a U.S. Consulate as part of the plot did minimal damage and caused no additional injuries.
The 7 U.S. victims of the bombing were Megan Eileen Heffernan, a 29-year-old college teacher; Stephen Brooks Webster, an environmentalist on a surfing trip; Karri Jane Casner, who had been traveling with her older sister; Deborah Lee Snodgrass, an English teacher living in Bali; Jacob Cardwell Young, an attorney participating in a rugby tournament; Robert Alan McCormick; and George Hamilton Milligan, a surfer spending his last weekend in Bali before returning to Orlando, FL.