MUKHLAS' WIFE WRITES BOOK ABOUT HIM

BY MOHD HAIKAL ISA

JOHOR BAHARU (Malaysia), Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Faridah Abbas, the wife of
Mukhlas, one of three Indonesian militants executed on Sunday for the 2002 Bali
bombings that killed 202 people, has written a book about her husband.

Her father, Abbas Yusof, 72, said the book titled 'Orang Bilang Ayah
Terroris' (They Say Father Is A Terrorist) was written by Faridah, a teacher in
an Islamic kindergarten, in praise of her husband who she considered a
martyr.

"There is no regret on her part on what has happened," Abbas told Bernama
in an exclusive interview here Tuesday.

Abbas, a small-time trader, said the couple had six children, three boys
and three girls.

He said Faridah left two days ago with two of the children for Mukhlas'
funeral in Tenggulun, East Java.

On Sunday, Mukhlas, 48, his brother Amrozi, 47, and Imam Samudra, 38, were
executed by firing squad in Nusakambangan, an island prison.

Mukhlas, also known as Ali Ghufron, and Amrozi were buried in Tenggulun and
Imam Samudra in his village in Serang, Banten.

Abbas, who looks after Mukhlas' children, said all six of them, except the
youngest, knew what had happened to their father.

"We watch TV together and they know. I do not want to conceal his execution
from them," he said.

According to him, all his grandchildren, except the eldest, a 16-year girl,
had taken the execution calmly and were not overly emotional. Most were too
young and were not too close to Mukhlas, he said.

"But I saw the eldest's face change when the TV broadcast news of the
execution. I let it be and did not say anything as I was worried about her
emotions," said Abbas.

Abbas' personal view of his son-in-law was that he was a good father to his
children but "when it came to his struggle he did not compromise."

Asked how his daugher met Mukhlas, he said they did not meet or know each
other before they got married.

"It was I who offered marriage as I was attracted to his knowledge (of
religion) and the like. I told him, 'I want you to marry my daughter, do not say
yes or no now. I give you one week."

"He wanted to see her and not long after that they were married,"
he said.

Mukhlas and Faridah, he said, then stayed at an Islamic school in Ulu Tiram
where Mukhlas was a teacher for some years.

When Faridah gave birth to their second child, said Abbas, Mukhlas's
brother, Amrozi, came to stay with them.

He said between 2000 and 2001, Mukhlas left the school in Ulu Tiram and
went to teach at an Islamic school in Kelantan before returning to
Indonesia.

Asked if he regretted making Mukhlas his son-in-law, Abbas said: "I will
remember him as a fighter and a son-in-law who was good to his family."
-- BERNAMA