Bali bomber Umar Patek seeks a second chance by ‘brewing peace’ with coffee

In a quiet cafe in Surabaya, the scent of freshly brewed coffee drifts through the air – a far cry from the sulphur and smoke that once defined Umar Patek’s past.

“Before, I was known for something that hurt the world,” he told This Week in Asia. “Now I have chosen a different path.”

Now, the convicted bomber is brewing something else entirely: peace, he says – and a second chance.

“Now, I am brewing flavours and brewing peace,” he said, seated at the Hedon Estate cafe that will be the first to stock his beans, sold both whole and ground. “Before, bitterness used to destroy, now [the] bitterness [of coffee] heals.”