Indonesia blames al-Qaida for bombs

INDONESIA yesterday blamed the al-Qaida network for the Bali bomb explosions that killed 181 people conceding for the first time that the group was operating in the Muslim country.

Police said they had names of individuals connected to the attacks and Defence Minister Matori Abdul Djalil told reporters the blasts were the work of professionals.

"I am convinced that there is a domestic link with al-Qaida," he said. Djalil's comments appear designed to head off criticism from Indonesia's neighbours that it is not doing enough to combat terrorism.