Terrorists strike again

Terrorists strike again

Terrorists have struck again. This time they picked the heart
of Jakarta, and this time with such a devastating effect. The
full impact of the blast will probably not be known for days,
perhaps weeks. What is certain for now is that Tuesday's bomb
attack at the J.W. Marriott Hotel killed at least 10 people and
injured more than 100 others.

It was also the largest terrorist attack since three bombs
exploded almost simultaneously on Oct. 12 in Bali, which killed
202 people in all, mostly foreign tourists. This time, the
terrorists selected a target that was also filled with
foreigners.

Our condolences and heartfelt sympathy go to the victims and
relatives of the bomb attack. No one in their right mind could
condone such a barbaric act. We join hands with other peace-
loving people nationwide, and across the world, in condemning
this attack, and in calling on the Indonesian government and
security agencies to move swiftly and catch the perpetrators, and
punish them accordingly.

The devastation caused by Tuesday's bomb attack will be felt
well beyond the Kuningan Timur subdistrict where the Marriott
Hotel is located. And we fear that the impact will reverberate
for weeks, if not months or even years. Just like the Bali
bombings in October, the bomb struck the nation where it really
hurts: at the reputation of Indonesia, and particularly of the
government, in its ability to deal with the threat of terrorism.

Experience with the Bali bombings tells us that, with the
reputation of the country and government in tatters, investors
and potential investors will stay away from Indonesia, as will
tourists and regular visitors.

The impact of the Marriott bombing on the economy will not be
fully known for a few days, or weeks, but, going by the reaction
in the stock and currency markets on Tuesday afternoon, the
nation must brace itself for yet another bumpy ride ahead.

Once again, the nation, particularly the government, has been
caught napping, just like when the terrorists struck Bali in
October. This latest attack came not without warning.

There have been other bombings these past few months that
should have alarmed us, particularly the security authorities,
that the terrorist threat was still very much with us.

There was the bomb explosion at the House of Representatives
building that the police have not been able to resolve; there was
the discovery of a huge cache of explosives in Semarang, Central
Java, that was believed to be on its way to Jakarta; and there
were smaller bomb attacks at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta Airport and
behind the United Nations building. And, in spite of the arrests
and trials of scores of people believed to be responsible for the
Bali bombings, the mastermind, going by the name Hambali, is
still at large.

The writing was on the wall that the terrorists, whoever they
are, would strike again sooner or later. What we did not know was
where, when or how devastating the next attack would be. But, if
Bali is any indication, it could be as devastating as anyone
could imagine.

In spite of these clear warnings, the attitude of the
government and the security apparatus toward these terrorist
threats has been found wanting.

Police have shown no sense of urgency in trying to resolve the
most recent bomb attacks. There was even a sense of complacency
on the police's part after they successfully, albeit only
partially, resolved the Bali bombings with the arrests of the
alleged perpetrators. Without taking credit from the police for a
job well done in investigating the Bali bombings, we all know
that there is still a lot to be done. The nation can hardly
afford to sit back and relax until we catch all the perpetrators.

The government is also at fault for its laid-back attitude
toward the threat of terrorism. Having enacted a new law to deal
with the threat of terrorism immediately after the Bali bombings,
we have heard little or nothing of what the government has been
doing on the antiterrorism front. Tuesday's bombing reflects yet
another failure of the government's intelligence in anticipating
terrorist attacks.

It is of course no use in ruing what could or should have been
done. The task at hand now is to restore confidence, at home and
abroad. And it goes without saying that this is a huge
undertaking to which all elements in the country must contribute.

The most immediate task for the government, and the police, is
to catch the terrorists, and to catch them fast. Until they do
so, all efforts at rebuilding confidence will be only be
destroyed by the next terrorist attack.