http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16794809%255E601,00.html
Bali relives nightmare
Sian Powell, Jakarta correspondent and Stephen Fitzpatrick, Denpasar
October 03, 2005
INDONESIA vowed last night to step up its fight against terrorism after a
series of suicide bombings on the tourist island of Bali killed at least 26
people, including three Australians.
The attacks - on the eve of the third anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings -
were immediately suspected of being the work of feared terrorist network Jemaah
Islamiah.
Amid warnings of further attacks, police said three suicide bombers detonated
vests or bags packed with ball-bearings in restaurants full of families on
Saturday night.
The first bomb exploded at Raja's restaurant in popular Kuta Beach. Ten minutes
later, a further two bombs hit open-air seafood restaurants at the beach resort
on Jimbaran Bay, about 10km to the south.
At least three Australians were believed to have been killed in the attacks,
which took place at the height of the holiday season. A further 15 Australians
were among the 122 injured.
The Australians confirmed dead were 48-year-old Jennifer Williamson, a mother
from Newcastle in NSW, and 16-year-old Brendan Fitzgerald, of Busselton in
Western Australia.
An unidentified Australian man, who was travelling with a group of families
from Newcastle, is also understood to have died.
Late yesterday, 10 corpses were yet to be identified. Australian Federal Police
officers were scrambling to help with victim identification.
The bombers struck almost exactly three years after the devastating Sari club
and Paddy's Bar bombings, which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
The similarity between the latest blasts, the 2002 Bali attacks and deadly
JI-led assaults on the Marriott Hotel in 2003 and the Australian embassy in
Jakarta last year immediately raised suspicions that Saturday's attacks were
the work of the terrorist group.
In particular, police believe Asia's most-wanted extremists, Azahari Husin and
Noordin Top, could have masterminded the latest outrage.
The attacks reignited calls for Indonesia to ban JI.
Visiting the scene of the bombings, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said
last night he had ordered security stepped up across Indonesia.
"We will do more in fighting terrorism," Dr Yudhoyono said, pleading for
understanding from the Indonesian people.
"We are determined to continuously fight terrorism in Indonesia with efforts -
global, regional and bilateral agreements."
John Howard, who spoke to Dr Yudhoyono last night, said he was sickened by the
bombings, the latest in a series of "cowardly, wanton, indiscriminate, horrific
attacks".
And he repeated his belief that JI should be declared an illegal organisation.
"We continue to hold the view that it should be banned," the Prime Minister
said. "But it would be wrong to conclude making an organisation illegal ...
would alter its conduct."
Leading Singapore-based terror expert Rohan Gunaratna said Indonesia was not
doing enough to crack down on the terror group.
"JI has not been proscribed," Dr Gunaratna said. "JI is still not criminalised
and it is important for Indonesia to focus their attention, to proscribe or
designate JI as a terrorist group."
He said it should be banned because it was too easy for it to finance its
attacks and regroup after crackdowns.
Dr Yudhoyono branded the blasts as acts of terrorism and vowed to catch those
responsible. But the President's spokesman, Andi Malarangeng, said it was not
the time to discuss whether the militant network should be banned in Indonesia.
"We are now looking at whoever is responsible very closely," he said. "But I
cannot be specific on any of this."
Indonesia has hesitated to ban an Islamic network that is regarded with some
sympathy in Indonesia by Muslims who resent Western intervention in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Two Australian Defence Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft flew out from
Darwin last night carrying medical teams to help the injured. Lear jets
organised by the Howard Government were bringing the wounded back to Australia.
Mr Howard also offered to bring the injured back to Australian hospitals
regardless of their nationality.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said that of the injured, seven were being
medically evacuated to Singapore or back to Australia, and all of them would
eventually be evacuated.
Dr Yudhoyono last night confirmed the bombings were the work of suicide
bombers. He promised to set up the manhunt for those responsible, as National
Police Commander Sutanto confirmed Bali police were looking for three other men
suspected of involvement in the blasts.
The bombers are believed to have used two cars in their operations - a locally
assembled van and a compact car.
Forensic work on the explosives and the suicide bombers' body parts had begun,
and DNA tests were soon to begin on family members of young men thought to be
suicide recruits.
Indonesian police spokesman Antonius Reniban said police were also
investigating three other explosives packages that had failed to detonate.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty confirmed Australia had sent
a 28-strong police team, including three state police, to help Indonesian
police -- particularly with determining the type of bomb used and identifying
the attackers.
Mr Keelty said the Indonesians had found the heads of those they believed were
the suicide bombers, raising hopes the killers would be identified quickly.
He said the bombs were not as powerful as those used in the 2002 attacks,
suggesting the deaths were caused by shrapnel, rather than the blasts
themselves.
The commissioner said the ability of terrorist groups to recruit suicide
bombers remained a concern. Top and Azahari were thought to be senior members
of the JI network, but terrorism experts now believe they may have formed a
splinter group with assistance from JI militants.
Australian ambassador to Indonesia David Ritchie visited injured tourists at
Denpasar's Sanglah Hospital. He blamed the latest attacks on "people who
claimed to represent Islam" but were really "just murderers and criminals".
Additional reporting: John Kerin
HISTORY REPEATING
October 12, 2002
Sari Club and Paddy's Bar
Kuta, Bali
a.. Suicide bombers kill 202 people, including 88 Australians.
b.. The first bomber hits Paddy's bar with explosives strapped to his body.
c.. The second bomber detonates a car bomb containing 1200kg of explosives
outside the nearby Sari Club.
d.. At least 30 terrorists have been convicted and jailed, with three
sentenced to death.
August 5, 2003
Marriott Hotel
Jakarta
a.. A suicide bomber driving a van laden with 120kg of explosives kills 12
people. The bomber's head is found on the fifth floor of the hotel.
b.. At least one terrorist convicted and jailed for the attack.
September 9, 2004
Australian embassy
Jakarta
a.. Ten people killed when a suicide bomber explodes a car bomb outside the
embassy.
b.. Six militants convicted, including two sentenced to death.
October 1
Kuta and Jimbaran beach
Kuta, Bali
a.. At least 26 people killed, including three Australians, when three
suicide bombers strike.
b.. Police suspect JI comrades Azahari Husin and Noordin Top planned the
carnage.
STILL AT LARGE
Azahari Husin
a.. The Malaysian engineer designed the 2002 Bali bombs and has been linked
to the Marriott Hotel and embassy attacks.
b.. He is thought to be the leader of JI in Indonesia.
Noordin Top
a.. Azahari cohort who helped organise the Bali 2002 attacks.
b.. He has also been linked to the Marriott and embassy bombings.
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