BALI: The bombings in Bali that killed more than 180 people are being interpreted in the United States as an extension of the war against Western, and especially American, interests by Islamic fundamentalists linked to al-Qaeda.
President George W.Bush yesterday condemned the bombings as "a cowardly act" designed to create terror and chaos. An FBI team has been sent to the bomb sites in the holiday resort, an administration official said. The US State Department is re-evaluating its presence in Indonesia amid fears that al-Qaeda has regrouped and recruited potent allies in the Middle East and south-east Asia.
One American was reported killed and at least two injured in the blast at the Sari night-club. A second bomb exploded about 100 metres from Bali's US consular office, causing no casualties.
The blasts occurred three days after the State Department issued a worldwide caution to citizens about "the continuing threat of terrorist actions that may target civilians". It cited a recent audio tape attributed to Osama bin Laden and other reports of threats to Americans.
"On behalf of the people of the United States, I condemn this heinous act," Mr Bush said in a statement. "The world must confront this global menace, terrorism. We must together challenge and defeat the idea that the wanton killing of innocents advances any cause or supports any aspirations." Mr Bush said the US had offered unspecified assistance to Indonesia "to help bring these murderers to justice."
The US has been pressuring Indonesia to act against local groups suspected of ties to al-Qaeda. American officials have identified Jemaah Islamiyah, a radical Islamic organisation allegedly led by Abu Bakar Bashir, as a terrorist organisation, but the State Department has not listed it as such for fear of causing a Muslim backlash against Indonesian President Megawati Sukharnoputri.
Mr Bashir has a large following and has been supported by Vice-President Hamzah Haz, who recently said foreign allegations that international Islamic terrorists were active in Indonesia could provoke a violent backlash. Some months ago Mr Bashir praised Osama bin Laden as "a true Muslim fighter" and described the US as "the real terrorist".
A White House spokesman, Mr Sean McCormack, said: "Indonesia is a strong partner in fighting the war against terrorism. We have good, ongoing co-operation with the government, and that will continue."
However, US officials have privately been scornful of Jakarta's assurances about coping with terrorist threats. "The motive of the attack wasn't a local commercial dispute," a US official told the New York Times, referring to Indonesian assertions that a September bomb blast near a US diplomat's home in Jakarta was related to a row over a debt concerning a neighbour.
"We hope this sends a message to the Indonesians that terrorism is not just an American problem but an Indonesian one as well."
Singapore has said it has evidence that Jemaah Islamiyah worked with al-Qaeda in an attempt to blow up the US embassy in Singapore some months ago.
The bombings come on the second anniversary of the al-Qaeda-linked attack against the USS Cole off Yemen that left 17 sailors dead and follows an apparent similar attack on a French oil tanker in the Persian Gulf two weeks ago.
The US State Department warning of October 10th said terrorists would seek soft targets "where Americans are generally known to congregate or visit, such as clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools or outdoor recreation events."
Democratic Senator Richard Shelby, vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned of more attacks. "I believe this is the beginning of a lot more we're going to see, perhaps in the US," he said on ABC television. The US embassy in Jakarta said: "Americans visiting or residing in Indonesia are advised to examine the necessity of continuing to remain in Indonesia".
President Megawati, who flew to Bali after an emergency cabinet meeting, said the explosions were a warning that terrorism was a threat to national security. But she offered no clues about who authorities believed might be to blame.
"The Indonesian government will continue co-operation with the international community to overcome terrorism," she said.
Her chief security minister said troops had increased security around oil and gas facilities.
President Megawati visited the smoking ruins of the Sari before stopping briefly at the 770-bed Sanglah Hospital, where she donned a surgical mask and visited burn victims. - (Additional reporting: Guardian Service)