brettig
New Yorker
Australians missing after bomb blast
From staff reporters and wires
October 13, 2002
A BOMB blast destroyed a nightclub on the tourist island of Bali, killing 110 people and injuring at least 178 others in what the national police chief today described as the worst act of terror in Indonesia's history.
A second bomb exploded about 100 metres from the US consular office in Denpasar, the capital of Bali, said Lieutenant Colonel Yatim Suyatno, a police spokesman.
There was no damage at the consular office and no casualties were reported from the blast, which occurred at 11.05pm yesterday (0105 Sunday AEST), he said.
"This is the worst act of terror in Indonesia's history," General Da'i Bachtiar said in Jakarta.
"We have to be more alert for other acts of terror including international terrorism in the future."
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the blasts could be the work of a terrorists.
"It's hard to believe there could be any other explanation for it. There were two bombs that went off in Bali at approximately the same time," Mr Downer told ABC-TV this morning.
The first bomb destroyed the Sari Club, a popular nightspot frequented by foreigners in the resort of Kuta Beach.
"We have received 110 bodies so far," said Molin Yudiasa a doctor at Denpassar's main Sanghlah Hospital.
Police said many foreigners were among the dead but their identities and nationalities were not available.
Among those missing are members of Perth's Kingsley Football Club, who were on an end-of-season trip.
Club member Damon Brinson said he and his team-mates were partying when the Sari nightclub went up in flames.
"The whole Sari Club came down and we were all trapped inside, and some of us got out and some of us didn't," Mr Brinson told ABC radio.
"One minute we were partying - the next, the whole lot went up. "We ran for our lives."
The wife of the team's coach, Narelle Quayle, said her husband Luke sent her a text message, expressing surprise he was not killed in the blasts.
"He said 'at the Sari Club, two huge explosions, I can't believe I'm alive, eight of our boys are missing'," Mrs Quayle said.
Another witness told of a pair of explosions and flames racing across adjacent shops.
In a telephone interview with Channel Seven, Luke Bartlett said he and friends had been to the Sari Club in Kuta every night this week but decided to have a night off.
He said the club was popular with Europeans, Americans and Australians.
"If you are young, that's where you are," he said.
"We were heading up one of the main streets close to the Sari club and we were probably about 50 metres from the club when we heard a large explosion.
"That was followed by another large explosion and flames running across the front of the shop and every window blown out. It was very very scary.
"We just tried to get out of the taxi and ran - people everywhere. It was mayhem."
Mr Bartlett said the club would have been packed at the time.
He said the fire was very big and apparently spread across the road engulfing another nightclub.
Meanwhile two members of the AFL Melbourne Football Club who went missing after the blasts have been found safe and well. The men, who were holidaying with about 28 other Demons players, returned to their hotel about four hours after going missing.
The general manager of football operations at Melbourne Football Club, Danny Corcoran, said all players were now accounted for and most were on the first flight back to Australia today.
"They couldn't find two players overnight - it was a terribly frightening time," Mr Corcoran said.
"They were walking along the street when a huge explosion blew them off their feet. They became disorientated and lost contact with each other. It was a frightening experience."
Police had no immediate motive for the blasts, which occurred nearly simultaneously.
"We don't know if these blasts are connected," said a US Embassy spokeswoman in Jakarta who declined to be identified.
She said she didn't know if there were any Americans among the casualties.
The blasts come just weeks after the United States reopened its diplomatic missions in Indonesia following a shutdown over the September 11 anniversary caused by fears of new attacks by the al-Qaeda network.
http://www.news.com.au/
From staff reporters and wires
October 13, 2002
A BOMB blast destroyed a nightclub on the tourist island of Bali, killing 110 people and injuring at least 178 others in what the national police chief today described as the worst act of terror in Indonesia's history.
A second bomb exploded about 100 metres from the US consular office in Denpasar, the capital of Bali, said Lieutenant Colonel Yatim Suyatno, a police spokesman.
There was no damage at the consular office and no casualties were reported from the blast, which occurred at 11.05pm yesterday (0105 Sunday AEST), he said.
"This is the worst act of terror in Indonesia's history," General Da'i Bachtiar said in Jakarta.
"We have to be more alert for other acts of terror including international terrorism in the future."
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the blasts could be the work of a terrorists.
"It's hard to believe there could be any other explanation for it. There were two bombs that went off in Bali at approximately the same time," Mr Downer told ABC-TV this morning.
The first bomb destroyed the Sari Club, a popular nightspot frequented by foreigners in the resort of Kuta Beach.
"We have received 110 bodies so far," said Molin Yudiasa a doctor at Denpassar's main Sanghlah Hospital.
Police said many foreigners were among the dead but their identities and nationalities were not available.
Among those missing are members of Perth's Kingsley Football Club, who were on an end-of-season trip.
Club member Damon Brinson said he and his team-mates were partying when the Sari nightclub went up in flames.
"The whole Sari Club came down and we were all trapped inside, and some of us got out and some of us didn't," Mr Brinson told ABC radio.
"One minute we were partying - the next, the whole lot went up. "We ran for our lives."
The wife of the team's coach, Narelle Quayle, said her husband Luke sent her a text message, expressing surprise he was not killed in the blasts.
"He said 'at the Sari Club, two huge explosions, I can't believe I'm alive, eight of our boys are missing'," Mrs Quayle said.
Another witness told of a pair of explosions and flames racing across adjacent shops.
In a telephone interview with Channel Seven, Luke Bartlett said he and friends had been to the Sari Club in Kuta every night this week but decided to have a night off.
He said the club was popular with Europeans, Americans and Australians.
"If you are young, that's where you are," he said.
"We were heading up one of the main streets close to the Sari club and we were probably about 50 metres from the club when we heard a large explosion.
"That was followed by another large explosion and flames running across the front of the shop and every window blown out. It was very very scary.
"We just tried to get out of the taxi and ran - people everywhere. It was mayhem."
Mr Bartlett said the club would have been packed at the time.
He said the fire was very big and apparently spread across the road engulfing another nightclub.
Meanwhile two members of the AFL Melbourne Football Club who went missing after the blasts have been found safe and well. The men, who were holidaying with about 28 other Demons players, returned to their hotel about four hours after going missing.
The general manager of football operations at Melbourne Football Club, Danny Corcoran, said all players were now accounted for and most were on the first flight back to Australia today.
"They couldn't find two players overnight - it was a terribly frightening time," Mr Corcoran said.
"They were walking along the street when a huge explosion blew them off their feet. They became disorientated and lost contact with each other. It was a frightening experience."
Police had no immediate motive for the blasts, which occurred nearly simultaneously.
"We don't know if these blasts are connected," said a US Embassy spokeswoman in Jakarta who declined to be identified.
She said she didn't know if there were any Americans among the casualties.
The blasts come just weeks after the United States reopened its diplomatic missions in Indonesia following a shutdown over the September 11 anniversary caused by fears of new attacks by the al-Qaeda network.
http://www.news.com.au/
