President urges military to smash terror cells

Indonesia’s president said today that deadly bombings on tourist-packed restaurants in Bali and other terror strikes were battering the country’s reputation and called on his military to stamp out the scourge of terrorism in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

Investigators are analysing bomb scraps – pellets, batteries, cables and detonators – found at the scene of Saturday’s triple suicide attacks and renewed calls for anyone who recognised grisly photographs of the three bombers to step forward.

Dozens of people have been questioned, almost all of them witnesses, but police said it was too early to say who masterminded the terrorist attack - Indonesia’s fourth in as many years.

“The terrorist acts have spoiled Indonesia’s reputation in the eyes of the world,” said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said during a speech marking the 60th anniversary of the birth of the country’s military.

He called on the armed forces to “take a technical and strategic role in fighting and preventing future attacks”.

South-east Asian nations have gone on high alert to prevent a repeat of the bombings on the popular resort island of Bali that killed 22 people, putting hundreds of thousands of troops on standby, tightening security on beaches, and stepping up border security.

On Bali itself, shops put up shatterproof glass and some hotels were hiring one security guard for every 10 rooms. Police are on the streets and at the airport in force, and officials say searches and metal detector screenings will become even more common.

“Bags will be checked. Cars will be checked. This is an inconvenience, but it is for safety reasons,” Indonesia’s tourism minister Wacik sai. “The world community has become more immune to bombs going off. London and Madrid recovered, and we will recover.”

No one has claimed responsibility for Saturday’s co-ordinated attacks that also wounded more than 100 people.

But suspicion immediately fell on the al Qaida-linked terror group Jemaah Islamiyah – which allegedly orchestrated the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, and blasts at the JW Marriott hotel in 2003 and the Australian Embassy in 2004 that together killed at least 22.

Australia, which lost 88 citizens in the 2002 Bali bombings, warned of further possible strikes on the island and again urged Jakarta to ban Jemaah Islamiyah.

But Indonesia shrugged off the call. Doing so could make it easier to prosecute members, but could also trigger opposition from Muslim groups and political parties.

“It is an underground movement. We can only ban an established organisation,” said presidential spokesman Andi Malarangeng, adding that the government would continue to fight terrorism “under whatever name”.

From his prison cell, Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir – the group’s alleged spiritual leader – said in a statement that last weekend’s blasts were a sign of God’s displeasure with the Indonesian government.

“I suggest the government bring themselves closer to God by implementing his rules and laws because these happenings are warnings from God for all of us,” said Bashir, who has campaigned for the implementation of Islamic Shariah law in Indonesia.