Australian Embassy bombed in Indonesia

[Persian Warrior]

Pledge to 'hunt' Jakarta bombers


Downer said the explosion was "a cruel and a callous attack"
The Australian foreign minister is in Indonesia with forensic experts to join the inquiry into a huge blast outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta.

Alexander Downer pledged to "hunt down" the perpetrators of the attack, which killed at least nine people and injured more than 180 others.

Indonesian police believe the blast was caused by a suicide car bomb.

The Jemaah Islamiyah Islamic radical group has reportedly claimed responsibility for the explosion.

The claim, made on an Arabic website, has not been verified.

Jemaah Islamiyah is thought to have been responsible for the Bali bomb attack two years ago in which more than 200 people died, many of them Australians.

'Brutal' attack

"This was a cruel and a callous attack," Mr Downer told reporters.


HAVE YOUR SAY

I was in a meeting and felt the whole building shake in a huge explosion

John Day, Jakarta


"Our officials will do everything they can to help the Indonesians hunt down the people responsible for this brutality," he said.

Mr Downer called the bomb a direct attack on his country, although those killed were all thought to be Indonesian.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said earlier his country would not be intimidated by terrorism.

The explosion morning explosion was widely condemned around the world. US President George W Bush described it as an attack on civilised people everywhere.

After arriving in Indonesia's capital late on Thursday, the Australian forensic experts immediately went to help local authorities to comb the scene of the blast.

JI blamed

Indonesian police have blamed the attack on Islamic militants, saying it suspected the bomber or bombers may have died in the explosion.


INDONESIA'S WAVE OF TERROR
December 2000 - Church bombings kill 19
October 2002 - Bali attacks kill 202, many Australian
December 2002 - Sulawesi McDonald's kills three
August 2003 - Jakarta Marriott Hotel bomb kills 12
September 2004 - Bomb outside Australian embassy in Jakarta

Indonesia and the Australian forensic experts said the explosive used was similar to that used in the bombing of the city's Marriott Hotel last year and the Bali nightclubs in 2002.

The attack bore the hallmark Jemaah Islamiah, said Jakarta Police chief Da'i Bachtiar.

He also accused Azahari Husin, a British-trained Malaysian engineer and one of Asia's most-wanted men, of involvement. He is suspected of playing a part in the earlier bombings.

Elections due

The attack has prompted fears that militants could be trying to target the outcome of a run-off presidential election in Indonesia on 20 September, and a general election in Australia on 9 October.

"This is not a nation that is going to be intimidated by acts of terrorism," Mr Howard said. "We are a strong, robust democracy."

Terrorism and the conflict in Iraq are key issues in what is expected to be a tight race between Mr Howard - who is seeking a fourth term - and the Labor Party leader Mark Latham.

If he wins, Mr Latham has pledged to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq.

Australian officials say one of those seriously injured in the blast was the five-year-daughter of an Australian father and an Indonesian mother.

The girl had been granted Australian citizenship just days ago. Her mother died in the explosion, which wrecked buildings across parts of Jakarta's business district.

The attack left a large crater. Mangled remains of vehicles littered the area, many apparently lifted into the air by the force of the blast.

[pogue]

When did this happen?

[Persian Warrior]

Yesterday I think.

[CHIBI]

Originally Posted by pogue

When did this happen?

Yesterday, here's a link to a news article.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/040910/15/qpwu.html

[disco1]

I think the main problem with Indonesia is that no one can made to account for all the bombings. The Indonesian governement is out of its depth and we(the allies) can't do much either. We can't do what we have in Afganistan/Iraq. Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands and has thousands of militants. We'll never get the main players. What can we do?????

[Persian Warrior]

Australian boosts bomb manhunt

By Phil Mercer
BBC correspondent in Sydney

Australia has pledged US$3.5m to help investigators track down the group behind the bombing at its embassy in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

At least nine people were killed and dozens more injured in Thursday's suspected suicide attack.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard also announced an upgrade of security at the country's diplomatic missions.

The moves came as the government's National Security Committee met in Sydney to discuss its response.

Senior ministers were briefed by the chief of the defence force, General Peter Cosgrove and the federal police commissioner, Mick Keelty, who has recently returned from the Indonesian capital.

The foreign minister, Alexander Downer, said Australia should do more to help Indonesian police.

Election campaign

The government has promised around US$3.5m to bolster the investigation. Security at other Australian missions overseas will also be upgraded.

Mr Howard said the bomb-proofing of the embassy in Jakarta, which he believed had saved many lives, would be used as a model for other diplomatic facilities around the world.

Thursday's bombing came in the middle of a general election campaign in Australia. It has thrust national security to the top of the agenda.

Analysts have said that Mr Howard could be punished by voters who fear Australia's involvement in Iraq has made the country a bigger target for extremists.

On the other hand, Australians may feel that during this time of great uncertainty, they may again turn to Mr Howard, who has guided the country through the aftermath of 11 September and the Bali bombings.

[BigTruckGuy3500]

This barely even broke the 2 seconds on the news here in the US. Atleast on what I watch. Here's an interesting conspiracy theory I found. http://www.vialls.com/wecontrolamerica/blackops.html.

[mASF]

Originally Posted by BigTruckGuy3500

This barely even broke the 2 seconds on the news here in the US.

Funny that... so much for the whole "Lets battle terrorism worldwide..."


I really hope Mark Latham gets elected here and pulls Aussie troops out of Iraq ASAP!

[timbo81]

I just don't see mark latham getting in, he just doesn't have the popularity to win. I think ACA did some phone poll and like 79% of people preferred howard as a leader.

and yeah this bombing has created instability so people are going to want to stick with the same leader.

[Persian Warrior]

Yea I have to agree I think this bombing might backfire on JI if there objective was for Howard to lose support among Australians.

Unlike the train bombings in Spain where the repercussions were felt in the elections.

[EnlightenedLife]

Originally Posted by BigTruckGuy3500

This barely even broke the 2 seconds on the news here in the US. Atleast on what I watch. Here's an interesting conspiracy theory I found. http://www.vialls.com/wecontrolamerica/blackops.html.

It was pretty much headline news in the U.K for about 2 days.

That link has some pretty strange theories. Is that first one trying to insinuate that the BBC has terrorist reporters working for it?

1.05 p.m., from outside the Special Forces exclusion zone, BBC reporters told us all live- to-air that the terrorists within had "detonated bombs located in the school basketball hoops, killing several emergency service workers [the paramedics]". At that precise stage in the proceedings the only way that the English media voice [allegedly from the BBC] could have known about basketball hoop bombs, was if he was an integral part of the terrorist team

I watched it all on the BBC and don't recall anyone mentioning basketball hoops until the video came out... I suppose you can find conspiracy anywhere if you look hard enough.

This time around the media was not quite so easily fooled, with reporters openly questioning exactly what the weapon actually was. One English female reporter who was only 200 yards away when the device went critical, said in a shaking voice, "It was terrible. All the air was sucked out of my lungs and I felt as if I was choking ... peope are saying it was a car bomb but I'm not sure ... Oh God, there are dead bodies all around me..."

I'm pretty sure any explosion has that effect, due to the fire taking in all oxygen in the area for fuel. Just call me 'Mr Sceptical'!

[Persian Warrior]

Police in Indonesia have released dramatic pictures of the bomb attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta.

The CCTV footage shows the white mini van believed to have been carrying the explosives approach the embassy.

The images - taken from cameras at the scene and released by the Indonesian police - then catch the moment of the blast itself.

Nine people were killed and more than 180 were injured in Thursday's explosion in the Indonesian capital.

The pictures were taken by security cameras on two separate buildings close to the Australian embassy.

The white van is shown moving slowly on the opposite side of the road to the embassy.

The driver appears to have then made a u-turn as a short time later the van is picked up again on the second camera moving back towards its target.

Chilling pictures

And then the moment of the explosion. Smoke and dust fills the screen, but the camera is still recording.

About 20 seconds later, the smoke clears to reveal figures running in panic as debris falls from the sky.

The chilling pictures have been broadcast repeatedly on Indonesian television.

The footage was shown during a press conference given by Indonesia's police chief, Dai Bachtiar, who said his men were powerless to prevent this sort of attack.

General Bachtiar also confirmed reports that two senior militant leaders, wanted in connection with the Bali nightclub bombings two years ago, are thought to have spent the past few months recruiting new volunteers for suicide missions in Indonesia.

The two men are believed to have rented a house on the outskirts of Jakarta near the international airport as recently as July.

But when police raided the property they had already fled.

Traces of TNT and sulphur were found in the house. The same chemicals have also been found at the site of Thursday's explosion.

Indonesian and Australian police are now warning that the threat of further attacks remains very real.

[French Affair]

"Religion of peace" at work again.

How long will it be befour people will realise that there will be no peace on this world intill we eliminate Islam. I feel sorry for thoses who follow it because they aer raised to hate and raised to murder. Only once Islam is destoryed (the religion, not the people) will we be free in this world.

[t0mmy]

sorry for bumping up an old thread, but my gosh, i have to flame the media here.

I remember the headline on the herald sun for this, "TARGET: AUSTRALIA", front page news etc.

How many Australians died? None.
How many people died? 2, was it?

More than 2 people get murdered in Australia every day!! And the terrorists weren't even targeting Australia!!! The media looks so ridiciulous, any attack that touches an Australian is considered to be against Australia. This pisses me off, this and everything like this is NOT an attack on Australia!!