Bush condemns Bali bombing
A car bombing in Indonesia that killed at least 187 people was condemned by US President George W Bush tonight as “a heinous act of terrorism”.
He resolved to fight ”this global menace” as the State Department advised Americans to consider leaving the south east Asian country.
The bombing, 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 two bombs that ripped through a bar and a nightclub packed with foreign tourists on the vacation island of Bali.
Ralph Boyce, US ambassador to Indonesia, said three Americans were among more than 300 people injured.
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 US investigators already were at the scene, a Bali resort favoured by foreigners.
Authorities said a separate bomb exploded about 300ft from the US consular office on Bali but caused no casualties.
“There is a definite terrorist link here,” said Senator 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 US,” Shelby said on ABC’s “This Week.”
