Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta – Six years after the Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta, the two militants on death row for the attack say they have no remorse and they are ready to die as "mujahideens."

Iwan "Rois" Dharmawan Muntho and Achmad Hasan were among six people jailed for helping to plan the Sept. 9, 2004, bombing that killed nine people and wounded 150.

In an exclusive interview with the Jakarta Globe at their prison on Nusakambangan Island in Central Java, Rois and Hasan said that the Koran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad legitimized the attack.

"Why should we apologize if we believe that we did right in waging jihad [holy war] against the infidels?" Rois said. "Why must we show any remorse?"

He said it was "legitimate to attack Australian interests worldwide" because of Canberra's close ties to Washington and its "targeting of Muslims."

The embassy bombing was carried out by suicide bomber Heri Golun, and was widely believed to have been masterminded by Malaysian terror suspects Noordin Top and Azahari Husin, who had links with regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah. Noordin and Azahari were later killed in separate antiterror raids in Indonesia.

Rois said that even though he had been found guilty, "in the eyes of Allah I am victorious, and I will go to heaven when I am executed. I am not worried at all."

Rois said he believed he would be rewarded in the afterlife, and would not seek a judicial review of his sentence or clemency.

"If they choose to execute me today, I will be ready, God willing," he said. "If I were to seek clemency or file an appeal, that would be the same as apologizing to the government. I am not guilty, so why should I apologize?"

However, Rois previously appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, but the appeal was rejected in 2005. During the appeal process, he claimed he was not involved in the bombing.

His last chances to avoid the firing squad are either to seek a presidential clemency or a judicial review of the Supreme Court's verdict – effectively appealing the previous appeal.

Hasan also said that he was ready to die and would not appeal his sentence. "Appeal and clemency aren't in my dictionary," he said. "God willing, I will die as a mujahideen."

Rois and Hasan were transferred to the high-security Nusakambangan Penitentiary in May after police said they uncovered a plot to attack Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta, where the two were being held, to free prisoners there.

The two were also found to be using cellphones while at Cipinang, in direct violation of prison regulations. Rois later said he had 11 mobile phones in his cell.

However, he denied accusations that he had used cellphones to issue orders to other militants, including those from a training camp in Aceh who police believe were planning Mumbai-style attacks on key targets, including the president.

While Rois said he had "close ties" with some Aceh militants, he denied ever being involved in training them.