Now where are the anti-war folks??? Just an hour ago: Bush Deplores Bali Bombing, Offers U.S. Help in Investigation
Oct 13, 2002
By Scott Lindlaw
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush said a car bombing in Indonesia that killed at least 188 people - including at least two Americans - was a heinous act of terrorism, and he resolved Sunday to fight "this global menace."
The State Department ordered U.S. government personnel in nonessential positions and all family members to leave the Southeast Asian country. The department also advised all U.S. citizens to defer travel to Indonesia, and advised Americans now living there to leave.
The bombing Saturday, on the second anniversary of the al-Qaida-linked attack against the destroyer USS Cole off Yemen that killed 17 sailors, led the Bush administration to evaluate its own official presence in the world's largest Muslim country. The State Department had warned last week that Indonesia was becoming a home to terrorists.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bomb that ripped through a nightclub packed with foreign tourists on the vacation island of Bali.
State Department spokeswoman Jo-Anne Prokopowicz said Sunday night that at least two Americans were killed and three injured. She was not able to release the names or details of these individuals.
"There are ongoing efforts to identify other possible victims," Prokopowicz said. "We are not able to confirm any other American casualties at this point.
"These incidents are under investigation. I don't want to speculate about possible perpetrators, motivations or connections," she said.
Indonesian officials said it was the island nation's worst terrorist act ever. Bush's statement did not mention the al-Qaida network or any other terrorist group by name, but he said the attack was "a cowardly act designed to create terror and chaos."
"On behalf of the people of the United States, I condemn this heinous act," the president said.
"The world must confront this global menace, terrorism," Bush said. "We must together challenge and defeat the idea that the wanton killing of innocents advances any cause or supports any aspirations. And we must call this despicable act by its rightful name: murder."
After an early morning church service, Bush was asked if he had said a prayer for victims of the attack. "Every day," he replied.
Bush said the United States has offered Indonesia assistance "to help bring these murderers to justice," and a senior White House official said U.S. investigators already were at the scene, a Bali resort favored by foreigners.
The official did not know which agencies were involved. The FBI had no immediate comment.
White House spokesman Jimmy Orr said Bush called Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Sunday to offer condolences. Thousands of Australians were estimated to have been on the island when the attack happened.
"The two leaders said both countries would work with the government of Indonesia to see that those responsible for this terrorist act would face justice," Orr said.
Authorities said a second bomb exploded Saturday about 300 feet from the U.S. consular office on Bali but caused no casualties.
"There is a definite terrorist link here," said Sen. Richard Shelby, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "We don't know all the facts. Is it directly al-Qaida? Is it an affiliated group? I believe this is the beginning of a lot more we're going to see, perhaps in the U.S.," Shelby, R-Ala., said on ABC's "This Week."
The bombings came three days after the State Department issued a worldwide alert for terror attacks and renewed fears that Indonesia was becoming a home for terrorists, with al-Qaida operatives active there.
After the bombings, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta said on its Web site the attack "comes on the heels of previous warnings of Americans at risk, and highlights the mounting threat to Americans wherever they are in Indonesia."
Ralph Boyce, U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, told The Associated Press that evidence in recent weeks had confirmed months of suspicions that al-Qaida operatives are present in Indonesia and had reached out to local extremists.
The embassy was closed for six days in September due to terror threats, and an attack near a house belonging to the embassy resulted in the attacker accidentally killing himself with his hand grenade.
The United States and Indonesia's neighbors have criticized Jakarta for failing to move swiftly enough against figures suspected of involvement with al-Qaida and a regional affiliate, Jemaah Islamiyah.
"This horrible incident has only made it that much more urgent that they find some way to deal with this problem," Boyce said. "They are in the middle of doing that."
White House spokesman Sean McCormack said "Indonesia is a strong partner in fighting the war against terrorism. We have good, ongoing cooperation with the government, and that will continue."
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On the Net:
U.S. Embassy Jakarta: usembassyjakarta.org
U.S. Consular Agency, Bali: usembassyjakarta.org
AP-ES-10-13-02 2319EDT
This story can be found at: ap.tbo.com |
