Jakarta hotel bombings
On the morning of 17 July 2009, suicide bombers attacked the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in central Jakarta. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said a bomb went off at the Marriott's Mutiara Restaurant at about 7:45am Jakarta time and another at the Ritz-Carlton's restaurant at about 7:49am. Indonesian police put the death toll at nine, with 55 injured, though early reports conflicted on whether the bombers were included in that figure. Police said the bombers had stayed in Room 1808 of the Marriott for two nights before the attack. They named Jemaah Islamiah as responsible, saying "there are similarities in the bombs used", and officials pointed to Malaysian-born Noordin Mohammed Top. On 17 September 2009, after comparing fingerprints from a body with his, Indonesian police announced that Noordin Top had been killed.
Three Australians were killed: Austrade official Craig Senger, Perth businessman Nathan Verity and Brisbane-based Thiess executive Garth McEvoy. On 19 July Mr Rudd confirmed Mr McEvoy's death and said Mr Senger and Mr Verity were presumed dead. He said DFAT had advised that "apart from military officers and police officers, this is the first Australian Government official to be killed by a terrorist attack in the line of duty."
On the day of the attack, Mr Rudd convened the National Security Committee of Cabinet and said "any terrorist attack anywhere is an attack on us all." He announced a DFAT consular crisis centre and hotline, and offered Indonesia AFP help with forensics, victim identification and counter-terrorism. DFAT updated its travel advisory, and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the AFP was giving specialist help, including enhancing CCTV images.
More sources:
