More Bali blasts - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

hulk · 10-02-2005, 02:06 AM

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A TEENAGE boy from Western Australia and a mother from New South Wales are among those confirmed dead in the latest terrorist attacks in Bali.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty has confirmed two Australians were killed in last night's simultaneous blasts.
Hospital officials say a third Australian has also died from the explosions - detonated in packed tourist restaurants at Kuta beach and Jimbaran Bay within minutes of eachother.

Adam Williamson from Newcastle, on the NSW north coast, tonight confirmed his mother, Jennifer Williamson, was among the Australians killed.

He said his mother died from wounds suffered in a bomb blast at a cafe at the popular tourist spot of Jimbaran Bay.

His father, Bruce, had also been injured but was conscious and had been airlifted to Singapore for further treatment, he said.

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"It's just so surreal, you don't even think it will happen to you, you see it on TV from the last time, and then it does ... I'm just in shock," he told Channel 10.
The Williamsons were among a group of about 50 residents from the NSW city of Newcastle who were holidaying in Bali.

Among them was lawyer Paul Anicich, who along with Bruce Williamson and two other critically injured Australians were to be flown to Singapore.

Adam will fly to Singapore tonight to be with his father and another son, Duncan, who was not at the cafe where his parents were wounded.

The attacks came nearly three years after the October 12 bombings in 2002, which killed 202 people including 88 Australians.

Australian toll

The 16-year-old Australian killed was from Busselton in WA and other members of his family were also among the injured, added WA Assistant Commissioner David Caporn.

Mr Keelty said he did not expect a high Australian death toll from the attacks.

"There is another person who has been killed and is thought to be an Australian but we haven't confirmed that," he said.

Another 15 Australians have been injured, at least two seriously.

Mr Keelty said 15 Australian Federal Police (AFP) were already in Bali and another 10 AFP officers and three state detectives – one each from the NSW, Victorian and West Australian counter-terrorism teams – are due to arrive tonight.

Attacks condemned

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono branded the blasts as acts of terrorism and vowed to catch those responsible.

"These are clearly terrorist attacks because the targets were random and public places," he said.

At the scene of the Kuta bomb, bodies lay covered by bloodied blankets as police moved among crowds of onlookers using flashlights to pick their way through the gutted interior of the restaurant.

British tourist Daniel Martin told the BBC he was standing in a building next to the restaurant in Kuta when a "tremendous" explosion erupted.

"It was just sheer chaos with no one really taking control," Martin said, adding that "there were no police or anyone else around for a good while. It was everyone pitching in to help the wounded.

"There were people lying in the street with serious wounds, blood pouring into the street ... I was afraid to go into the actual restaurant for fear of what I might see in there."

Suicide bombs suspected

Bali Police Chief Made Pastika confirmed there had been three bombs, but they were not as powerful as the ones in Bali three years ago.

"It appears that there has been less incendiary chemical used in the bombs and that the injury and the deaths are being caused by shrapnel," Mr Keelty said.

"So in that sense it's not exactly the same as the bombing of the nightclubs in Bali on the October evening back in 2002."

Local police were examining the remains of three suspected suicide bombers.

"They have three heads that they're examining and that's a typical outcome from a suicide bomber, but that's not yet confirmed and that will require further analysis as the evening progresses," Mr Keelty said.

Well planned

Senior Police Commissioner Dewa Parsana told journalists in Kuta that the blast there had not been as powerful as the explosions in Jimbaran.

"The blast there (in Jimbaran) is much stronger because there we found a head that was separated some 50 metres from its body," Parsana said.

Judging from the timing and the maximum impact of the blasts, he said the bombings were "very well planned."

"You can assume it's an attack by an organisation like Jemaah Islamiah, just speaking from experience, but of course at this stage no one has claimed responsibility," said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

The British Foreign Office said one Briton with a dual Australian nationality, had been seriously injured and another slightly hurt.

World responds

Indonesian reports listed at least one Japanese national killed and five Koreans injured.

World leaders immediately offered their support and uttered condemnation at the bombings, including French President Jacques Chirac who said he was "stunned and saddened" by the news.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned the attacks "in the strongest possible terms" and said his government would help in any way it could.

Australians in need of consular assistance and those concerned about family members are advised to contact the DFAT hotline on 1800 002 214.

From Reuters, Agence France-Press and AAP

Watching some footage of the explosions take place on the news, it was gut-wrenching. Absolutely frightening. I'm sorta speechless about it, at least for now.

superiorrain · 10-02-2005, 11:05 AM

Truely as sad time again in such a beautiful place, where the locals are as nice as anyone you'd ever meet. A place that doesn't harm the terrorist cause, a place with little defence, it's merely a holiday destination for people seeking the sun and some fun. A disgusting display of inhumanity.

spindles · 10-02-2005, 07:51 PM

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Originally Posted by superiorrain

Truely as sad time again in such a beautiful place, where the locals are as nice as anyone you'd ever meet. A place that doesn't harm the terrorist cause, a place with little defence, it's merely a holiday destination for people seeking the sun and some fun. A disgusting display of inhumanity.

I know what you are saying but Is there a good place for a terrorist attack?

Scumbags that do things like this deserve the harshest possible sentence when caught.

Suave · 10-02-2005, 11:29 PM

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Originally Posted by spindles

I know what you are saying but Is there a good place for a terrorist attack?

In the middle of the desert surrounded by other terrorists.

Nimetic · 10-03-2005, 05:17 AM

Well I'm a sad about it - but are they really "gutless"?

Brainwashed, intellectually handicapped or whatever they were, it seems like some of the terrorists chose to die. Maybe to make a point, maybe to get their share of virgins in heaven. Dunno.

I don't believe that it was the right thing to do. But, I would not call them cowards.

Charlatan · 10-03-2005, 06:13 AM

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Originally Posted by spindles

Scumbags that do things like this deserve the harshest possible sentence when caught.

As this is Indonesia, there can be no doubt that when and if they are caught the punishment will be harsh.

10-02-2005, 11:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
superiorrain Psycho Location: London	Truely as sad time again in such a beautiful place, where the locals are as nice as anyone you'd ever meet. A place that doesn't harm the terrorist cause, a place with little defence, it's merely a holiday destination for people seeking the sun and some fun. A disgusting display of inhumanity. __________________ "The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible." - Arthur C. Clarke

10-03-2005, 05:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
Nimetic Junkie Location: Melbourne, Australia	Well I'm a sad about it - but are they really "gutless"? Brainwashed, intellectually handicapped or whatever they were, it seems like some of the terrorists chose to die. Maybe to make a point, maybe to get their share of virgins in heaven. Dunno. I don't believe that it was the right thing to do. But, I would not call them cowards. Last edited by Nimetic; 10-03-2005 at 05:33 AM..