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Response to Bali attacks is universal

An Indonesian man carries one of the victims of a bomb blast at a beachside cafe at Jimbaran beach in Bali, Indonesia, on Saturday. Several bombs exploded in different parts of Bali, Saturday night killing 25 and injuring hundreds. PHOTO: AP

The world united yesterday to condemn the suicide bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, as Malaysia hoped that its two citizens suspected to be the masterminds would be caught soon and brought to justice.

In a spontaneous show of solidarity for Indonesia, governments around the globe offered all help to overcome Saturday night's tragedy, the latest in a string of terrorist attacks in the world's most populous Muslim country in the past three years.

Australia offered medical and police aid, Britain sent an emergency assistance team, and the US and New Zealand pledged to help in any way possible to catch the terrorists suspected in the three, near simultaneous blasts that killed at least 25 people and injured more than 100.

RESPONSIBILITY

No one claimed responsibility but suspicion fell on the al-Qaeda linked militant group Jemaah Islamiyah, which officials say was also behind the Oct. 12, 2002, bombings in Bali that killed 202 people.

Indonesian police said the masterminds are suspected to be Malaysians Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Mohamed Top.

The two men fled to Indonesia after a Malaysian crackdown on suspected Islamic militants following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the US. They have been on the run since then.

"These people may be Malaysian by citizenship but they are not with us," Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said.

"If they were in Malaysia we could have taken some action," he said.

"I hope they [Indonesians] are successful in investigating and catching these two men," Syed Hamid said. "If these people are responsible, everyone would like to see them apprehended. The Indonesian government has been chasing them. It is a question of apprehending them."

"It is very sad. Bali is such a beautiful place," he said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard also condemned the bombings as "an indiscriminate murderous attack."

"I see it very much as part of an ongoing attempt by terrorists to undermine democratic Indonesia," he said.

One 16-year-old Australian was killed in the blast and two others were grievously hurt.

Howard said his government will provide medical evacuation to Australia or Singapore for those injured in the blasts, "irrespective of their nationality." Australia was prepared to send investigative and police support as soon as possible, he said.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whose government has been fighting Islamic militants in the country's south, said the attacks show the resilience of the terrorists to strike "when our guard is down."

"We have limited the movements of terrorist cells and kept them on the run. But the price of freedom is perpetual vigilance," she said.

ABOMINABLE

Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo said the attack is "a reminder that although weakened, terrorist groups remain a threat to our societies."

Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have arrested scores of Jemaah Islamiyah suspects in recent years, many of whom have been jailed without trial.

Japan's government, which confirmed the death of a 51-year-old Japanese vacationer in Bali, condemned the attacks as "abominable."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called it a "cowardly attack."

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said such "callous and cold-blooded" acts "are an affront to humanity."

In London, Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "The British government stands ready to help in any way we can."

Britain's ambassador in Indonesia, Charles Humfrey, would be sent to Bali along with an "emergency deployment team" based in Hong Kong. Further details were not immediately available.

White House spokeswoman Erin Healy said the US government was ready "to assist in any way."

"The United States stands with the people and government of Indonesia as they work to bring to justice those responsible for these acts of terrorism," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

A poignant note was struck by Australian Brian Deegan, whose 21-year-old son was killed in the 2002 Bali bombings.

"It's just devastating," he said.

"It's just so needless, it's just so pointless," he said, his voice cracking.
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