Blast in Jakarta

The bombing of Marriot in Jakarta on 5th August 2003
I'm shocked by the sudden news that terrorism has returned to haunt us or at least Indonesia again!! After the tragedy in Bali and 9-11, SARS & Iraq war followed behind... We (or at least I) think for a moment there is world peace. Sad to bring up this piece of news, but something we ought to be aware of. It concerns all of us!

Below are some lines quoted from www.channelnewsasia.com

World News
The United States said it was "cowardly" and "deplorable" and that it fully supported Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri's battle against terrorism. "We strongly condemn this as a terrorist attack," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters in Crawford, Texas, where President George W Bush is on vacation. In Washington, State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker condemned what he termed a "deplorable act of terrorist violence." "Marriott is American. Whether this (blast) is aimed at destroying US interests, I think there may have been such an aim," Indonesian Vice President Hamzah Haz told journalists.

Singapore News
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said the bombing of the Marriott Hotel is a barbaric attack. Dr Andrew Tan said: "The Marriott is significant because it is an international hotel. It is a well establish hotel in Jakarta. If westerners are involved, it sends a very negative signal. The threat of terrorist attacks remain very real, especially in Indonesia, it's not surprising to see attacks of this nature. I suspect this won't be the last."