UPDATE: Stephen Fitzpatrick, Mark Dodd | July 17
AT LEAST seven people, including several foreigners, were killed this morning when bombs ripped through two neighbouring luxury hotels in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.
One Australian man was reportedly among the 48 people hurt in the explosions, which Indonesian police are treating as a terrorist attack.
Suspicions immediately centred on terror network Jemaah Islamiah, responsible for the attack on the Marriott hotel in 2003, when 12 people died.
The method of attack would represent a shift in strategy for JI.
Consular staff in Jakarta are urgently checking to see whether Australians are among the dead or injured.
The first explosion occurred inside the Ritz-Carlton just before 8am local time, followed by the Marriott blast minutes later. The hotels are located in the upscale Mega Kuningan business district in the centre of the city.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was re-elected to a second term in the mainly Muslim country last week, was “deeply concerned over this incident,” a spokesman for his office said.
Ritz-Carlton vice-president of security Kevin Cruise said the explosion occurred inside the Airlangga Restaurant, blowing out the windows.
“I was in the restaurant immediately after the explosion,” Mr Cruise told The Australian. “It looks terrible with a lot of cosmetic damage and I was really afraid about injuries but there appears to have been no serious ones.”
However, Mr Cruise is still awaiting a final report, amid “incomplete and incorrect information”.
Tom Warden, 25, a Kiwi working in Ritz-Carlton food and beverage, said the blast occurred as he prepared to have breakfast.
“There were people in the elevator saying `we have got to get the hell out of here'.
“The doors opened and the lobby was filled with smoke and everyone was evacuated.”
Ritz-Carlton guests and staff have moved to an area in front of the hotel.
Police have sealed off the area near the Ritz-Carlton and the JW Marriott.
In a statement this morning, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was checking on whether any Australians were hurt in the explosions.
Source: The Australian
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