Indonesia paroles the bombmaker in Bali's deadly 2002 attacks

Convicted militant Umar Patek pauses during the police reenactment of the scenes leading to the 2002 Bali bombing, in Denpasar, Bali Indonesia, on Oct. 20, 2011. (Firdia Lisnawati/AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Islamic militant convicted of making the explosives used in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed over 200 people was paroled 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-Qaida-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, which was blamed for the blasts at two nightclubs in Kuta Beach.