182 Killed in Bali Terrorist Attack
October 13, 2002
The blasts occurred on Saturday night in the Kuta Beach district, the island's main tourist area of the island. There was also a third explosion close to a United States consulate in Sanur just outside the island's capital, Denpasar. But no one was injured in that incident.
Indonesian police were unable to provide an exact death toll on Sunday morning because bodies were still being removed from the rubble after what appeared to be the most devastating terrorist attack in the island's history. Many of the injured were said to be in grave condition in local hospitals, with medical workers stretched to capacity.
The explosions, which occurred around 11 p.m. on Saturday night, hit the popular Sari Club and the Padi Bar, located just across the street. The bombs and subsequent fire sent the Sari Club's roof caving in, trapping hundreds, and the subsequent fires destroyed an entire city block. It also tore a 1.5 meter deep crater in front of the Sari Club.
"This is the worst act of terror in Indonesia's history," said Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, the national police chief. "We have to be more alert for other acts of terror."
The attack is likely to increase pressure on Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri to ratchet up efforts to stop terrorist groups believed to be operating in the country, including cells with ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network.
"A warning for all of us"
Speaking on Sunday morning, Megawati pledged to take action. "The bombings, once again, should be a warning for all of us that terrorism constitutes a real danger and potential threat to national security." She pledged to investigate the incident "continuously" until its perpetrators are determined.
A hospital official said many of the casualties are Australian and European tourists. And the German foreign ministry has confirmed that seven Germans are among the injured. Indonesia's police chief described the attack as the worst act of terror in his country's history.
Kuta Beach is a popular area with backpacking tourists, and a volunteer said close to 75 percent of the victims appeared to be Australians, who flock to the discos in the area.
Number of German victims unknown
The German government has expressed its "anger and shock" over the terrorist attack. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said on Sunday morning "it could not be ruled out at this point" that Germans were among the victims. According to current information, a spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry said, at least seven German nationals were injured in the explosion. Because many of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition, the identification process will be slow.
So far no one has claimed responsibility.
Three days ago, the U.S. government issued warnings about possible terrorist attacks in Indonesia. The country's president, , has been under tremendous pressure to do more to rein in suspected extremists in Indonesia, which is believed to be a hotbed of terrorist cells, including some groups with contact to al Qaeda.
Until the attack, Bali had maintained a reputation as a peaceful and secure resort destination for Western tourists, despite its proximity to areas with religious extremist activity. Western embassies had long excluded the Indonesian island from general travel warnings related to unrest in the country.