Fed: Howard says strong suspicion of JI in Jakarta attack

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Fed: Howard says strong suspicion of JI in Jakarta attack

CANBERRA, Aug 6 AAP - The car bombing of the Marriott hotel in Jakarta bore the hallmarksof an attack by terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah, Prime Minister John Howard said today.

Mr Howard said the death toll of 16 from yesterday's blast possibly included one Dutchand one Singaporean, but the rest were Indonesian Muslims.

While the target of the car bomb was the Marriott hotel, popular with foreigners, MrHoward said it was an attack on the Indonesian state and people.

He said he would seek to contact Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri later todayto convey Australia's sympathy and concern.

"The type of attack carries the hallmarks of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) but as yet we don'thave direct proof so I have to put it in those terms," Mr Howard told ABC radio from CapeYork, where he is visiting Aboriginal communities.

"The majority belief probably is that it was a suicide bomber. Other theories suggestthat the bomb may have been detonated by remote control."

Mr Howard said the Indonesian police had achieved considerable success in roundingup JI members and supporters.

"This is a fight sadly that will probably go on for years," he said. "Jemaah Islamiah,if it is as many people believe responsible for this, is an organisation that is embeddedin many parts of Indonesia.

"It is not something you can defeat with one killer knockout punch. Terrorism is notlike that. Think of the other countries that have gone through terrorism, albeit in differentcircumstances.

"The British mainland was subject to sustained terrorist attacks over a long periodof time. It took years for that to settle down."

Mr Howard said nothing could ever justify the random, indiscriminate killing and maimingof innocent people.

"Most of the people who died yesterday were probably taxi drivers and restaurant employees,people on very low incomes trying to make a living to support their families," he said.

"They were not in any way the instruments of suppression. They were just ordinary decentpeople going about their daily lives."

Mr Howard urged Australians living in Jakarta to take care.

"Don't lose faith in the relationship and the friendship between our two countries.

It is very important to our futures," he said.

"Extend a hand of sympathy and understanding to your Indonesian friends because thishas been a terrible attack on the Indonesian state and the Indonesian people."

Mr Howard said other Australians should avoid any non-essential travel to Indonesia.

"I have to warn them again as we have repeatedly in the past to be very wary of publicplaces, particular frequented by westerners."

AAP mb/ldj/jlw

KEYWORD: INDON BLAST HOWARD DAYLEAD