Usman Haji Muhammad Ali
Usman bin Haji Muhammad Ali, also spelt Osman bin Haji Mohamed Ali, was an Indonesian marine and convicted murderer. He uses the aliases Janatin or Usman Janatin during his task of bombing the MacDonald House, which killed three people and injured 33 other people. Usman was executed alongside his accomplice Harun Said for the murders of the three deceased victims from the MacDonald House bombing.
Early life and career
Usman Haji Muhammad Ali was born in Jatisaba, Purbalingga, on 18 March 1943. He graduated from middle school in 1962.On 1 June 1962, he entered the Indonesian Marine Corps, and was appointed as one of three volunteers to serve in the military operation Komando Siaga, led by Air Force Vice Admiral Omar Dhani, during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. Usman was later stationed at Sambu Island, Riau.
MacDonald House bombing
Usman and Harun were instructed to bomb a power station by their superiors, but they were unable to accomplish that mission since their target was tightly guarded and proceeded to find an easier target—an office building crowded with workers and the general public in Orchard Road.The team detonated a 12-kilogram high explosive, placed inside a blue traveling bag, inside the MacDonald House at 3:07 pm local time on 10 March 1965, killing three civilians, a Malay Muslim driver and two Chinese women, who were office staff of a bank.
Capture and conviction
Usman and Harun subsequently escaped to a beach, while Gani disappeared and presumably returned to Indonesia. After seizing a motorboat, which broke down at sea, they were rescued by another boat and subsequently handed over to the Singapore Marine Police on 13 March 1965. Initially claiming to be engaged in fishing, they were however arrested and interrogated by the local police.Usman and Harun were convicted of murder as they had been wearing civilian clothes at the time and had targeted a civilian building; both men were sentenced to death by a Singapore court. The two were hanged in Changi Prison on 17 October 1968. Usman's remains were taken back to Indonesia and buried in Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery, Jakarta.