The Abu Hafs el-Masri Brigades described the attack as "a strong slap in the face of America and its agents in Islamic Jakarta, which has been cursed by the dirty American and the bold and racist Australian presence."
There was no way to confirm the claim of responsibility by the previously unknown cell. Abu Hafs el-Masri was the alias of Mohammad Atef, a top lieutenant of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden who was killed by US airstrike in Afghanistan in November 2001.
JI is accused of plotting or carrying out attacks in several Southeast Asian nations. An Indonesian court on Thursday issued the first verdict in the October 2002 Bali bombings, sentencing to death Amrozi bin Nurhasyim for buying the van and explosives used in the attack.
Defense lawyers said Friday they would appeal the death sentence.
Thirty-three other suspected JI members are either on trial or awaiting trial in the Bali attack.
Late on Friday, mourners packed into a hospital room in Jakarta for a memorial service for the only foreigner killed in the Marriott blast: Hans Winkelmolen, the general manager of Dutch cooperative bank Rabobank.
Winkelmolen was due to be replaced by Canadian Tony Costa -- who was also injured in the Marriott explosion. Costa was flown to Singapore the day of the bombing and treated for smoke inhalation and chest pains.
They were having lunch at the Marriott Hotel's lobby cafe when the blast went off.
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