Former terror group leaders regret attacks 22 years after Bali bombing

Jemaah Islamiyah announced its disbandment in July

20241009  Khoirul Anam and Para Wijayanto

Khoirul Anam, left, and Para Wijayanto -- former leaders of the Islamist terror group that carried out the Bali bombing -- are now urging their followers to renounce violence and reintegrate into society. (Photos by Tomoyosi Oshikiri)

ISMI DAMAYANTI, Nikkei staff writer

JAKARTA -- Thiolina Marpaung on Saturday will attend the 22nd commemoration of the Bali bombing, a terror attack that left 202 people dead and changed her life forever. In addition to leaving her eyes severely damaged, she still experiences panic attacks whenever she smells smoke.

"Doctors told me that I have to have regular eye checkups for the rest of my life," said Marpaung, 50, who was on holiday with friends at the time of the bombing and now works for an organization that advocates on behalf of terror attack survivors. "My eyes are still so painful when exposed to sunlight."

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