RI jazzer among 57 killed in Jordan blast

Fri, 11 Nov 2005, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

Agencies
Jakarta/Amman

An Indonesian jazz musician was among the 57 people killed in the
triple bombings of Western-owned hotels in the Jordanian capital
of Amman, while two other Indonesian musicians were among the
more than 100 injured.

An official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on
Thursday that the ministry had received information from the
Indonesian Embassy in Jordan that three Indonesians were among
the victims of the suspected suicide bombings.

Ministry spokesman Yuri Thamrin said that the dead victim was
identified as Perri Pattisilano, 55, while two other Indonesians,
identified as Harjanto and Pinky, were injured in the blasts and
were now being treated in the hospital in Amman.

"The three Indonesian victims were musicians working at (the Grand
Hyatt) hotel," the ministry said in a statement sent to The
Jakarta Post.

The statement added that the ministry had informed the
victims' families.

"We are still discussing the return of Perri's remains with
his family," Yuri said.

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono condemned the
deadly bomb attacks and also urged the global community to
increase cooperation in fighting against terrorism.

"The President on behalf of the Indonesian people expressed his
deepest condolences over the tragedy. The President also stressed
the need for global solidarity to fight against terrorist
attacks," Dino Patti Djalal, a presidential spokesman, told
Antara.

In Wednesday night's synchronized attacks, two bombs exploded
while crowds were celebrating weddings, leaving blood and
destruction at Amman's luxury Grand Hyatt hotel and the nearby
Radisson SAS. A third blast targeted a Days Inn hotel.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-
Zarqawi, said in a statement on a website that "a group of our
best lions" had launched the attacks in Jordan.

"Some hotels were chosen which the Jordanian despot had turned
into a backyard for the enemies of the faith, the Jews and
crusaders," said the message signed by the group's spokesman, as
quoted by Reuters. Its authenticity could not be verified.

Police said they thought the blasts were the work of suicide
bombers. Simultaneous attacks are an al-Qaeda hallmark and U.S.
officials said they suspected the network was to blame.

Jordan's King Abdullah blamed a "deviant and misled group" for
the blasts. "The attacks targeted and killed innocent Jordanian
civilians," the king, whose country is bordered by Iraq, Syria,
Saudi Arabia and Israel, said in a statement.

Jordan is one of two Arab countries that have signed peace
treaties with Israel. It helped the United States in the war on
Iraq, where Zarqawi's group is part of an anti-U.S. insurgency.