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A body is removed after explosions at two Jakarta hotels - Source: Reuters -
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Bomb blasts ripped through the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton
hotels in Jakarta's business district, killing nine people and
wounding dozens in attacks that could dent investor confidence in
Indonesia.
A car bomb also blew up along a toll road in North Jakarta, police
said without giving further details.
Indonesia's Metro TV said two people had been killed.
An unexploded bomb was also later found at the Marriott, police
said.
The apparently co-ordinated bombings are the first in several years
and follow a period in which the government had made progress in
tackling security threats from militant Islamic groups, bringing a
sense of political stability to Southeast Asia's biggest
economy.
Some analysts have already cast suspicion on remnants of the Jemaah
Islamiah group, blamed for previous attacks including a car bombing
outside the Marriott in 2003 as well as bombings on the resort
island of Bali the previous year that killed 202 people.
Here are some questions and answers on security in
Indonesia:
Is this unexpected?
Yes. Indonesia had made enormous progress in containing the threat
from militant group JI which security officials and analysts said
was behind several fatal bomb attacks on Western targets including
hotels and bars in Jakarta and the resort island of Bali.
The Indonesian authorities, with help and training from their
Australian and US counterparts, have increased security and
surveillance in recent years.
Indonesia's security forces have detained hundreds of militants and
killed several during shoot-outs, carrying out numerous sweeps,
even in recent weeks.
How could these new attacks happen? Has security been
relaxed?
There are no outward signs security measures have been relaxed in
Jakarta. The security presence was stepped up around the time of
the presidential elections on July 8, which passed
peacefully.
All the major hotels in Jakarta have security checks outside to
reduce the risk of car bombs, although checks in many are not
particularly thorough, with a security guard just poking his head
in the window to look at who is inside the car.
Although the Marriott and Ritz were known for exceptionally tight
security barriers and checks, including for those entering the
hotel on foot, from the damage at the scene of the blasts it
appears the bombs exploded inside the hotels, and were either
brought in by suicide bombers or planted inside and set off by
timers.
Is Jemaah Islamiah behind this?
Several analysts are already saying these attacks have some of the
hallmarks of JI, which in the past has chosen high-profile targets
such as Western hotels and bars frequented by foreigners.
JI has used car bombs in the past, but barricades and layout
changes as well as other measures at the best-protected luxury and
Western hotels in Jakarta and Bali have made it harder for that
kind of attack.
Does this mean JI has recovered and is a threat again?
If it is indeed JI, this suggests they still have bomb-making
capability and operatives, despite having lost many of their
trained and skilled members.
If it isn't JI, who else could it be?
In 1998, when former autocratic President Suharto was desperately
trying to retain power, some elements within the military were
accused of stirring up social unrest and riots in an attempt to
cause widespread panic and destabilise Indonesia.
There have been other instances in Indonesia's history when
military elements were suspected of being behind unrest in order to
have an excuse to clamp down on civilians.
The country has also sporadically seen violence including bombings
attributed to various separatist groups, political organisations,
and criminal gangs.
What long term impact could this have on
Indonesia?
It's certainly a blow for Indonesia's security forces and the
country's risk profile, particularly coming so close on the heels
of peaceful elections in the world's third-largest democracy.
Indonesia had begun to stand out among its Southeast Asian peers as
a stable democracy that was making real progress in tackling
corruption in order to attract foreign investment.
These attacks could make some investors think twice before
committing to any new, long-term, strategic investments in areas
such as natural resources or infrastructure.
That said, however, the market reaction has been relatively
muted.
