The Age [Australia], September 10, 2004 - 7:54AM
JI claims Jakarta bomb blast
Jemaah Islamiah today reportedly claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on the
Australian Embassy in Jakarta, and warned of more unless Australia withdrew its
forces from Iraq.
Australia is a key regional supporter of the United States' war on terrorism and sent
2,000 troops to the Iraq invasion. It still has 850 military personnel in or around Iraq.
Jemaah Islamiah (JI) has been blamed for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202
people, including 88 Australians, and the August 5, 2003, suicide bombing at the JW
Marriott hotel, a few blocks from the site of yesterday's blast.
Nine Indonesians died in yesterday's bombing outside the heavily fortified embassy,
including at least two embassy security guards.
A further 36 were seriously injured 115 suffered lighter wounds.
No one inside the building was seriously injured, but a five-year-old Australian girl was
critically injured outside. Her Indonesian mother was killed instantly in the explosion.
Her Australian father was flying to Jakarta today.
Reuters reported today that JI had reportedly said in an internet statement that had
made the attack.
"We decided to make Australia pay in Jakarta today when one of the Mujahideen
brothers carried out a martyrdom (suicide) operation at the Australian embassy," the
Arabic statement from the "al-Jama'a al-Islamiya in East Asia" said, in apparent
reference to the al-Qaeda linked JI group in Indonesia.
It was not immediately possible to verify the claim which appeared in a public web
forum which has sometimes carried claims from Islamic groups which proved to be
false.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer arrived in Jakarta overnight, with
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty and ASIO director-general Denis
Richardson.
Mr Downer will tour the blast site today and talk with senior Indonesian officials,
including President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who visited the embassy yesterday
afternoon with Australian ambassador David Ritchie.
"We appreciate very much as Australians that some Indonesians lost their lives at a
time when they were providing protection to Australians at the Australian embassy,
and we'll remember that," Mr Downer said in Jakarta early this morning.
"We will, with our federal police, provide every support to the Indonesian government
and Indonesian officials to help track down those people who were responsible for this
act of murder."
Mr Keelty said the attack was likely to have been the handiwork of JI master
bombmaker Dr Azahari Husin and financier Noor Din Mohamad Top.
"Whilst ever Azahari Husin and Noor Din Mohamad Top remain at large, they remain
the top priority for all of the work that's been done here in the region," Mr Keelty said.
"What we need to do is to capture them."
Indonesian police said the attack was an indication al-Qaeda linked militants in
Indonesia were regrouping.
Police chief Da'i Bachtiar said the blast bore the hallmarks of Azahari Husin, who is
being hunted with Malaysian compatriot Noordin Mohamad Top. Intelligence from
arrests made on the central island of Java indicated preparations for further attacks,
he said.
Early analysis from the blast site pointed to involvement of JI remnants, the police
chief said.
"They have done new recruitments in the framework of launching new attacks,"
Bachtiar told reporters.
"We are orientating the investigation towards the remaining perpetrators of the August
2003 Marriott bombing and the Bali bombings who have not yet been arrested."
The bomb exploded shortly after 10.15am local time (1315 AEST), just in front of the
embassy's gate. It flattened a section of the steel fence and shattering scores of
windows in highrise office buildings up to 500 metres away.
World leaders condemned the bombing and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent
personal condolences to victims.
US President George W Bush condemned the bombing and offered his sympathies to
the victims' families, his chief spokesman said today.
"This is yet another attack against civilised people everywhere. We condemn this
outrageous act," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said as Bush courted
voters in Pennsylvania.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said it showed terrorists had no regard for human
life.
Pakistan and Afghanistan, two countries deeply affected by the war on terror, also
condemned the attack.
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana also said there could be no
justification for such an attack.
The Vatican, through its official publication, said: "Terrorism is trying once again trying
to make the world bow to blackmail".
Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Mark Latham have suspended
campaigning today for the October 9 election. Both will be briefed in Canberra today.
- AAP/Agencies
Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd.
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