Nation unites in condemning bombing

Nation unites in condemning bombing

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Condemnation poured in from around the country on Sunday against
the worst bombing in Indonesia's history, which killed nearly 200
people on the resort island of Bali. Many of those denouncing
Saturday's bombing also said the "savage attack" posed the
biggest challenge the administration of President Megawati
Soekarnoputri has faced.

The country's two largest Muslim organizations, the Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, strongly condemned the "uncivilized"
attack and expressed condolences to all of the victims, most of
whom were foreigners.

"I strongly condemn the attackers and ask the National Police
and the Indonesian Military (TNI) to work together to capture
them immediately and break up their network," NU chairman Hasyim
Muzadi said.

NU deputy chairman Solahuddin Wahid said that with the
devastating tragedy, Indonesia could no longer reject offers from
other countries to assist officials here in investigating
terrorist activities.

Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif called for
Megawati's Cabinet to be dissolved for its failure to prevent the
tragedy and a series of similar incidents that have rocked the
country.

"The incident proves the failure of the national leadership.
The government is not serious in running the country .... The
Cabinet should be disbanded and replaced," Syafii told The
Jakarta Post.

He said similar incidents had taken place on a smaller scale
around the country, but the government failed to deal with them
seriously or to take action to prevent future attacks.

Yet Syafii refrained from suggesting that President Megawati
should resign, which he said could undermine national stability.

"I don't think Megawati needs to be replaced," he said.

The House of Representatives and political parties also joined
in the condemnation, and demanded that the authorities apprehend
and prosecute the bombers.

Also denouncing the bombing was popular Muslim preacher
Abdullah Gymnastiar. In a sermon at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque in
Jakarta on Sunday, Gymnastiar said the bombers were uncivilized,
had lost their minds and had no religious faith.

The tragedy will further sideline Indonesian Muslims and
others across the globe, he said.

Observers have begun to speculate about who was behind the
tragedy.

Some said the bombers were "highly trained" people likely
linked to Western forces, and others believed the bombing could
have been the work of fundamentalists opposed to the U.S. or the
Indonesian government.

The attack follows persistent reports that Osama bin Laden's
al-Qaeda network was trying to establish a foothold in the
world's most populous Muslim nation.

President Megawati indirectly blamed terrorists for the
attack, but offered no clues as to who authorities believed might
be to blame.

Former president Abdurrahman Wahid said he believed the
"terror attack" was perpetrated by those opposed to Megawati's
government hoping to destabilize the country.

"If they oppose the current government they should not use
such violence that could destroy the nation. I don't agree with
that way," he said.

Political analyst M. Budyatna from the University of
Indonesia, legislator Yasril Ananta Baharuddin of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Indonesian
Mujahiddin Council (MMI) chairman Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, accused by
the U.S. and Singapore of belonging to a regional terrorist
network, from the University of Indonesia speculated that the
bombing was engineered by a foreign party aimed at targeting
Muslims and breaking up Indonesia.

However, Syafii, Muzadi and Solahuddin urged people not to
accuse any domestic or foreign groups of masterminding the attack
without first providing clear, hard evidence.

"We can blame CIA agents, Muslim extremists or whatever other
group for the incident if there is authentic evidence," Syafii
said.

"If authentic evidence proves that extremists here were
involved in the human tragedy, I agree that we should fight them
according to the law. It is certain that the attackers were
highly trained people," he said.

Preliminary list of people killed in Bali bomb blasts:
1. Mugianto (M), Indonesia; 2. Kadek Beri Prima (M), Indonesia;
3. Anna Sesilia Aviles (F), Equador; 4. Christhoper Bradford (M),
Singapore; 5. DJ Sari Club (M), Indonesia; 6. Josua K. Daegan (M),
Australia; 7. Pascal M. Dolf (M), -; 8. Faturraman (M), Indonesia;
9. S. Foley (M), -; 10. March Benny, Gajardo (M), UK; 11. Nash Gary
(M), Australia; 12. Maria Johansson (F), Sweden; 13. Chris J. Kays
(M), Singapore; 14. Bjorn J. Abon Magnusson (M), Sweden; 15. Aris
Muranbar (M), -; 16. Christian Redman (M), Singapore; 17. Julie
Stephen S. (F), Australia; 18. Stafford (M), UK; 19. Achmad Suharto
(M), Indonesia; 20. Nassima Cladia Tele (F). Germany; 21. Jean
Underwood (F), France; 22. Robin G. Webster (M), -; 23. Joshua
Illifee (M), Australia; 24. Clint Thompson (M), Australia; 25. Adam
Howard (M), Australia; 26. Agus Suhaeri (M), Indonesia; 27. David
Majeridies (M), Australia; 28. Sukerma Kadek (M), Indonesia;
29. Berry (M), Holland.