BBC: Massive blast at Jakarta embassy

[BurtWorm]

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3639922.stm


Six people are believed to have died in a massive blast outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, the Australian prime minister has said.
John Howard said it was thought the explosion was a car bomb.

The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Jakarta says the blast left a large crater in the ground and damaged nearby buildings and motor vehicles.

Helicopters, ambulances and police units are at the site, in Kuningen, a district to the south of the city.

Witnesses and reporters say they saw at least three bodies lying lifeless after the blast, which happened at about 1030 local time (0330 GMT).

Mr Howard told a news conference in Melbourne "the number of fatalities could be six. We can not at this stage be certain, but the evidence today indicates that it was a car bomb."

Local radio reports scores injured.

[loveable liberal]

1. isnt the world supposed to be safer?

someone is obviously confused.

[kungfugrip]

2. Depends on the meaning of "we"

If "we" means white middle class Christian Conservatives from Indiana then, yes, "we" are safer.

[Scurrilous]

3. Seven killed at blast in Australian Embassy in Jakarta

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/475847.html

<snip>

"A powerful car bomb exploded near the Australian embassy in Jakarta on Thursday, killing seven people and leaving nearly 100 wounded, witnesses and police said."

<snip>

"The bomb was in a car. Looking at the damage, high explosives were used," Inspector-General Firman Gal, Jakarta's police chief, told reporters.

A senior police officer who asked not to be identified said seven people died, including three policemen guarding the building.
No one inside the heavily fortified embassy was hurt in the blast, said Lyndall Sachs, a spokeswoman for the Australian foreign ministry in Canberra.

A doctor at a nearby hospital said only four bodies had been brought to the morgue. Ninety-eight people were admitted for treatment, and none of the casualties were foreigners, he said."

[truthisfreedom]

4. damn.

[dutchdemocrat]

5. Right before the election

How convenient. The election is right around the corner. Talk about 'ahem'... timing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_legislative_election,_2004

[geek tragedy]

6. Simple strategy by the terrorists.

Howard is going to get crushed in Australia's election, and now they will try to take credit for it--even though Howard was going to get crushed anyway.

[Moderator]

7. Duplicate

add this article if it offers more information to:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=812065