An Indonesian man convicted for his role in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings has started a coffee business following his release on parole.
Umar Patek, who was a member of the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah group, has pledged to donate a portion of the business’s earnings to support survivors of the attacks.
Patek was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2012 after being found guilty of constructing the bombs that devastated two Bali nightclubs, resulting in the deaths of 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians.
He was granted parole in 2022 and has since issued an apology to the victims. His release triggered outrage in both Australia and Indonesia.
The launch of Patek’s coffee business was marked by a banner displaying his face at a café in Surabaya, Java. The café is owned by dentist David Andreasmito, who will be using coffee beans supplied and roasted by Patek.
“I was still shell-shocked by the outside world,” Patek said, adding he had trouble finding work after his release and was worried his image would affect the business.
“The stigma of a former terrorism convict made it hard for me to find work,” he said.
Patek said he understood that many people were still angry with him but pleaded to them “not to let that doubt stick”, adding he would give portions of his earnings to survivors.
David said he went into business with Patek because he had apologised and wanted people to give him a second chance.
Since Patek’s release, Indonesian authorities have highlighted him as an example of the deradicalisation efforts launched by the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country to counter a resurgence in Islamic militancy.
Chusnul Chotimah, a survivor of the Bali attacks who is covered in burn scars and says she struggles to pay for life-saving treatments, jostled in front of the crowd to speak to Patek at the launch.
“I used to have grudges against you,” she said. “I forgive you for what you did. I know you’ve changed for the better.”
Chusnul later said she hoped Patek could help out the survivors. “Don’t just say sorry,” she said.
Tumini, another survivor, said in Bali’s capital Denpasar that she is still struggling to pay for her treatment and that government aid should be prioritised for victims still in recovery.
