Australia split over Bali sentence

Some papers are worried Amrozi will be seen as a martyr

There has been both jubilation and unease in Australia at the death sentence handed down to the convicted Bali bomber, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim.

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard has rejected calls to request Indonesia to lift the death penalty in favour of life imprisonment.

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He said waiving the death penalty could undermine the fight against terrorism. He said he understood the feelings of those who welcomed the sentence.

"These people lost their kids," he said. "I remember the people, I remember how they felt and I just try to put myself into their situation."

While the opposition Labor Party has supported the prime minister, some political figures have spoken strongly against his stance.

"When you're fighting barbarism and terrorism I think you need to be careful not to descend to barbaric acts yourself," said Senator Andrew Bartlett, leader of the small Democrats party.

Australian television showed pictures on Thursday night of survivors and relatives of victims celebrating the news of Amrozi's death sentence.

But not all of those close to the victims were jubilant. Brian Deegan, whose son Josh was killed in the blast, said he opposed the death penalty in all circumstances.

"I believe Josh would not want this to occur in his name and I certainly don't want it to occur in mine," he said.

Australia carried out its last execution in 1967 and abolished the death penalty in 1985.

As well as those opposed in principle to the death penalty, some are concerned it could make Amrozi, who smiled and waved on hearing his sentence, into a martyr.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Amrozi's death "may simply help rally more zealots to his bloody cause."

But for some relatives of victims the question of punishment for Amrozi was more important.

"I just want to see him die," said Peter Iliffe, whose son Joshua was killed in the attack.

"I would help pull the trigger, whether or not it makes him a martyr."

Eighty-eight Australians were among the 202 victims of the October 2002 bomb explosions at the resort of Kuta, inflicting the biggest single tragedy in Australia since the end of World War II.