JI claims responsibility for bomb attack: Website

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

A group calling itself the East Asia Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) claimed responsibility for Thursday's bombing outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

An Arabic-language website posted a statement saying the group was behind the bombing that killed nine people and injured 182 others. The authenticity of the claim could not be confirmed.

In its statement, the group said the attack was the beginning of series of acts of revenge against Australia for its "military engagement in Iraq and for being an enemy to Islam".

"Today, we have settled accounts with Australia, one of the worst enemies of Islam, as one of our brothers has fulfilled a martyr operation with a bomb-loaded car at the Australian embassy in Jakarta," the statement said.

The group warned all Australians to leave Indonesia at once or it would turn the country into "their graveyard".

National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sudjono said the police would examine whether the website belonged to the al-Qaeda-linked JI, which has been listed as a terrorist group by the United Nations.

"In regards to the website, there is a team that is currently tracking down whether it officially belongs to JI," Suyitno said on Friday.

Asked whether the police were taking the statement at face value, Suyitno said: "We do not want to respond to such speculation."

JI has been blamed for the bomb attacks in Bali on Oct. 12, 2002, and at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta on Aug. 5, 2003.

Indonesian-born Riduan Ishamuddin, alias Hambali, currently being detained by the United States, was believed to be the JI network leader. Hambali was captured in Thailand shortly after the Marriott bombing.

In the statement, the group also told the Australian government to withdraw their troops from Iraq, warning that there would be more car bombings if the demand was not met.

"Our jihad will continue until the liberation of the land of Muslims is complete," the statement said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has said his country will not be dictated to by terrorists and will not bow to terrorist demands.

Asked whether the police had traced the sender of a text message sent via mobile phone, warning that foreign missions in Jakarta would be attacked unless Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the alleged spiritual leader of JI, was released from prison, Suyitno said: "If the receiver of the text message has not erased it, we will trace it to the cellular phone's provider."

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said earlier in the day the text message had been received by the police 45 minutes before the bombing on Thursday.

Thursday's attack came two days before the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, and 11 days ahead of the Sept. 20 presidential election runoff in Indonesia.

The United States and Australia had issued warnings of possible attacks in Indonesia.

Police said fugitive Malaysian bomb makers Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Moh. Top had masterminded Thursday's attack. The two JI operators have also been held responsible for the Bali and Marriottt bombings.