Suicide Bombers Attack Two American Hotels in Indonesia

Checking in as guests, suicide bombers smuggled in and detonated explosives on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - Suicide bombers, who had registered as guests at two upscale American hotels in Jakarta managed to smuggle in explosives which they set off simultaneously on Friday, leaving eight dead and at least 50 injured.

Approximately 18 foreigners were among the dead and injured. Two Australians and a New Zeelander were believed to have been killed. Exact numbers will not be known until police and rescue workers complete their search efforts.

The J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, which are located in the business district, sustained serious damage as the façade was reduced to twisted metal with windows blown out and scattered debris.

The bombings came after a four-year lull in terror attacks in the Indonesian capital. The President of the most populous Muslim nation in the world, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, held a news conference soon after the attacks. Re-elected just this month, he was visibly disturbed as he commented on the explosions.

"I am sure most of us are deeply concerned, feel very sorry and are crying silently, like the way I am feeling," he said, adding that the terrorists were "laughing and cheering with anger and hatred."

"They do not have a sense of humanity and do not care about the destruction of our country, because this terror act will have a wide impact on our economy, our business climate, our tourism, our image in the world and many others."

The Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema (Muslim Scholars) Council (MUI), Amidhan, also condemned the the attacks.

He told the ANTARA News Agency, "I strongly condemn the actions of the irresponsible perpetrators who deliberately wanted to disturb national security.

"I urge the police to thoroughly investigate the incidents which are still unknown whether they were done by 'old' or 'new' terrorists as the perpetrators have yet to be caught."

Officials are still surprised that the perpetrators were able to smuggle in the explosives as the Marriott and Ritz hotels were thought to have some of the tightest security in the area.

Police found more undetonated explosives in a room on the eighteenth floor of the Marriott, which had been registered to the terrorists. The blasts were only two minutes apart, the first at 7:45am at the Marriott, followed by explosions at the Ritz.

Several Americans were among the injured. Terrorism analyst Rohan Gunaratna told the Associated Press that the perpetrators were probably a part of the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.

"The only group with the intention and capability to mount attacks upon Western targets is Jemaah Islamiyah," Gunaratna told the AP. "I have no doubt Jemaah Islamiyah was responsible for this attack."

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