September 09, 2004
Courage down under
Our brave Australian allies and their diplomatic hosts in Jakarta, Indonesia are again the victims of terrorist murder.
At least seven people have been killed and up to 100 are wounded after an apparent terrorist attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta. Early indications are that a car bomb was detonated outside the compound in the Indonesian capital, ripping the gates off and and leaving a three-metre crater in the ground.Jemaah Islamiyah became early suspects, largely owing to the Bali bombings they carried out in October 2002, and Malaysian security officials added to the speculation.
They suggested the bombing may have been the work of Azahari Husin, a British-trained Malaysian engineer who has eluded capture for nearly three years and is a known member of JI. Husin is one of Asia's most-wanted men and has been linked to numerous bombings in Indonesia, including the Bali attack.
JI is an Islamic terrorist group, one of the many al Qaeda "franchises" around the world.
No word yet as to whether or not the terrorists were able to murder more children, as they did in Beslan, but this is all of one piece. One thing of which we can be sure: the Aussies will never surrender.
Tim Blair is blogging the story from the southern hemisphere. He notes that an election is coming up in Indonesia.