Jakarta death toll rises to 'at least' 13

At least 13 people died today and 150 were injured when a suspected suicide bomber detonated a huge car bomb at the front of a luxury hotel in the Indonesian capital.

The Dutch president of a bank was among those killed when the explosion tore through the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta. Shattered glass and pools of blood covered the ground for two blocks around the tower.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion immediately fell on Jemaah Islamiyah an Islamic militant group with links to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida.

Several of its leaders face execution in Indonesia if convicted of carrying out last year’s devastating Bali nightclub bombings.

Indonesia’s Vice President Hamzah Haz said today’s attack may have been aimed at US interests: “I think it is possible that was what was behind it,” he said.

Black smoke billowed from the front of the 33 storey hotel, which was often used for functions held by the US embassy – including 4th of July parties.

“People were screaming, panicking,” said Sodik, a witness who was having lunch next door. “I thought it was an earthquake.”

An AP photographer on the scene moments after the blast saw three badly-burned bodies in the wreckage of a car outside.

Jakarta governor Sutiyoso said the explosion was “very likely” the work of a suicide bomber.

The explosion came four days after President Megawati Sukarnoputri vowed to destroy the terror networks responsible for a series of bombings across the world’s biggest Muslim nation.

Since the Bali attacks on October 12 – which killed 202 people, including 26 Britons – intelligence experts had warned that more terror attacks were likely in South-east Asia, and in Indonesia particularly.

Jemaah Islamiyah’s (JI) alleged leader, Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, is facing trial for treason over a series of bombings in 2000.

Today’s blast rocked the capital just two days before the first verdict is expected in a series of trials in Bali. Several alleged JI members accused of masterminding that bombing could be sentenced to death if convicted.

At the scene in Jakarta today, police chief General Da’i Bachtiar said his men suspected the explosives were packed into a mini-van. The burned chassis was being examined, he said.

Body parts were found near the wrecked vehicle, and he said police were investigating whether they were from bystanders or suicide bombers.

Among the dead in today’s hotel attack was Hans Wielmolen, the president of PT Rabobank Duta Indonesia.

Hospitals said they had admitted nearly 150 people with various injuries.

One report said two Americans, two Singaporeans, an Australian and a New Zealander were among those hurt.

Australia, which lost 88 people in the Bali blasts, denounced the bombing as “a brutal terrorist attack” and warned its citizens to steer clear of central Jakarta.

Witness Jaganathan Nadeson said he looked out of his window on the 22nd floor after the blast and saw a vehicle engulfed in flames in front of the hotel - apparently the car bomb, he said.

“I heard a big bang and I tried to get out of the building as quickly as possible,” said Asroni, a hotel employee, as he picked shards of glass from his uniform. “The smoke was getting into my lungs.”

The hotel’s lobby plate glass windows were shattered, as were some upper-floor windows. The lobby was badly damaged, with chairs and tables strewn about. At least 22 cars were damaged outside.

An office worker named Iin said some of the casualties were security guards who were stationed in front of the Marriott and adjacent office buildings.

“I thought a plane must have hit the building,” he said.