Coca-Cola truck explodes, terrorism may be involved

Coca-Cola truck explodes, terrorism may be involved

A truck belonging to a company contracted to Coca-Cola exploded
in flames 19 kilometers north of Denpasar, Bali, on Monday
morning, three days after a bomb warning.

Police are investigating the possibility it was a terrorist
attack, an attack that coincides with the Bali bombing trials in
the Denpasar District Court.

A total of 202 people, mostly young foreign tourists, died
while hundreds of others were injured in the blasts in Kuta on
Oct. 12 last year.

The parked 12-wheel truck burst into flames after three loud
explosions destroyed its left rear tires. The truck and 22,680
empty bottles of Coca-Cola worth Rp 40 million (US$5000) were
completely destroyed.

No casualties were reported.

The fire did not spread to 15 other trucks parked in the yard
of Mitra Nusa Pertiwi, a hauler for Coca-Cola.

"The truck had just returned from picking up empty bottles at
Coca-Cola's warehouse in Denpasar," said on-duty security officer
Ketut Martana.

Mengwi Police Chief Adj. Comr. I.B. Astika said on Tuesday
that a Mitra Nusa Pertiwi employee, I Made Kamardika, had
reported receiving a bomb hoax on Friday.

"This was why I sent the bomb squad to the scene," Astika
said.

"So far, however, they haven't found any trace of explosives
on the wreck of the truck. But the forensic team is still
conducting laboratory tests to determine the cause of the
explosions and the fire."

The 10-member bomb squad, led by Second Insp. Rizal, spent
seven hours at the scene searching for traces of explosives.

Astika said the forensic team would carry out on-site analysis
on Wednesday and was expected to come up with the cause of the
explosion.

Any bomb attack in Bali is likely to have an adverse effect on
Bali's struggling tourism industry, which has started to show
signs of recovering after last year's devastating attacks. -- JP