2009 Jakarta bombings
![]() | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (July 2009) |
2009 Jakarta bombings | |
---|---|
File:2009 Jakarta Bombings-Marriott Hotel.JPG Marriott Hotel after the explosion. | |
Location | Jakarta, Indonesia |
Date | 17 July 2009 |
Deaths | 9[1] |
Injured | 50[2] |
At around 7:48 am local time (0:48 UTC) on 17 July 2009, the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia, were hit by separate bombings five minutes apart.[1][4] Nine fatalities, including four foreigners were reported. Among the foreigners were one person from Australia and one from New Zealand.[1][5] More than 50 others were injured in the blasts.[2][5][6] Both blasts appear to have been the work of suicide bombers, who may have smuggled the bombs into the hotels by checking in as paying guests several days earlier.[7]
Background
Although Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, is relatively secular, it is still a haven for Islamist terrorism. Since the 2002 Bali bombings, in which over 200 were killed, Indonesia has stepped up attempts to crack down on terrorism. No group has yet claimed responsibility for this attack, which occured nine days after Indonesia's presidential election, but many analysts have pointed the finger at Islamic militants affiliated with Jemaah Islamiyah,[8] a group responsible for, among other attacks, the Bali bombing and a 2003 bombing against the same Marriott in Jakarta.
Order of events
The Marriott bombing occurred first and was succeeded five minutes later by the Ritz bombing.[4]
Police moved to seal off the surrounding area.[4] Like the 2008 Mumbai attacks and Black Saturday bushfires, news of the bombings spread via Twitter within seconds, the first report being by Daniel Tumiwa with the line: "Bom @ marriot and ritz Carlton kuningan jakarta".[9][10] Photos were also posted and later used by news agencies.[9]
At noon local time, an unexploded bomb was found in room 1808 of the Marriott, together with "bomb-making equipment".[11][12][13]
Police reports on local radio suggested a third bomb had exploded near a shopping centre in Muara Angke, north of Jakarta,[14] but the police have identified the explosion as a result of a car fire.[15]
Details of events and damage
The Ritz-Carlton explosion is thought to have originated in the Airlangga Restaurant on the second storey,[5][4] where people were eating breakfast.[1] There was said to be glass everywhere.[4] The facade of the Ritz Carlton was blown away by the blast and windows had been blown out.
Police sources suggest that the Marriott bomb originated in the basement.[16] One witness said the lobby of the neighboring Plaza Mutiara building was destroyed in the explosion. Reports at the scene described some foreign casualties to be "all bloody" and "badly wounded".[4]
Casualties
The casualties include several foreigners including 3 Australians feared dead, and New Zealand citizen Tim Mackay, president director of PT Holcim Indonesia and a Master Mariner[17]
Sixteen foreigners were named as treated at Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) hospital[18] A New Zealander, a Canadian, Pat Benetar, and 3 Dutch men were reported hurt.[19][20]
Other reactions
The bombings were deplored by numerous governments—in Indonesia, elsewhere in the region, and around the world[1][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]
In addition, Manchester United, which had been scheduled to play an exhibition match in Jakarta on 20 July 2009 (within three days after the bombing) and was to arrive at the Ritz Carlton one day later, cancelled the Jakarta leg of its tour.[4][28]
Prediction
One analyst had warned one day before the bombings that Jemaah Islamiyah might strike again.[1] The Marriott had previously been suicide bombed in 2003.[28]
See also
External links
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Unexploded bomb found after Jakarta hotel bombings kill at least 9". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ a b Onishi, Norimitsu; McDonald, Mark (17 July 2009). "Explosions at 2 Hotels in Indonesia Kill at Least 8". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
- ^ Deadly blasts hit Indonesia hotels. Al-Jazeera English. 17 July 3009. Accessed 17 July 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Three Australians feared dead in Jakarta bombings". Herald Sun. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ a b c "Eight dead in bomb blasts at Jakarta hotels". The Times. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "Explosions at 2 Hotels in Indonesia Kill at Least 6". The New York Times. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "How the guests in hotel room 1808 may have struck". Reuters India. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "Eight dead as bombers target western-owned Jakarta hotels". "guardian.co.uk". 2009-07-17.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ a b "Terror on Twitter: users break Jakarta story". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "Twitter breaks Jakarta bombing news". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "Gegana Temukan 1 Bom lagi yang Siap Meledak". Media Indonesia (in Indonesian). 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "Ditemukan Bom Lain di JW Marriott". Kompas (in Indonesian). 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "Jakarta police find bomb control centre in Marriott hotel". News Limited. 2007-07-17. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- ^ "Car explodes near Jakarta shopping centre". News Limited. 2009-07-17.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|accessate=
ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Ledakan di Muara Angke, Bukan Bom". Kompas (in Indonesian). 2009-07-17.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|accessate=
ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ "WashPostOfficials". Washington Post. Associated Press. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "StuffKiwi". "Stuff.co.nz". 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "KompassInilah". Kompass.com. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ http://www.canada.com/news/Canadian+burned+Indonesia+hotel+bomb+blasts/1798323/story.html
- ^ http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_404411.html
- ^ "Presiden Kutuk Bom, MU Batal ke Indonesia". Kompas (in Indonesian). 2009-07-17.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|accessate=
ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ "RP condemns 'dastardly, inhumane' Jakarta bombings". GMA News. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
{{cite news}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ http://www.topnews.in/oic-condemns-jakarta-bombings-2190270
- ^ http://www.unnindia.com/english/story.php?Id=4898
- ^ http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4495417,00.html?maca=en-en_nr-1893-xml-atom>
- ^ http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/07/17/eu-australia-britain-condemn-jakarta-hotels-blasts.html
- ^ http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Jakarta/Default.htm
- ^ a b "TelegraphIndonesiaBombings". The Daily Telegraph. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
{{cite news}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)