Bombmaker in Bali blasts freed on parole

JAKARTA: An Islamic militant convicted of making the explosives used in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed over 200 people was paroled on Wednesday after serving about half of his original 20-year prison sentence, despite strong objections by Australia, which lost scores of citizens in the Indonesian attacks.

Hisyam bin Alizein, also known by his alias Umar Patek, was a leading member of the al-Qaeda-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, which was blamed for the blasts at two nightclubs in the resort island's Kuta Beach.