2009 Jakarta bombings

Last updated
2009 Jakarta bombings
Part of terrorism in Indonesia
Jakarta Ritz-Carlton bomb damage 2009.jpg
Damaged Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Jakarta districts.png
Red pog.svg
JW Marriott
Red pog.svg
Ritz Carlton
2009 Jakarta bombings (Jakarta)
Location of the attacked, JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton
Location Jakarta, Indonesia
Coordinates 6°13′33″S106°49′38″E / 6.225758°S 106.827139°E / -6.225758; 106.827139 6°13′50″S106°49′33″E / 6.230448°S 106.825925°E / -6.230448; 106.825925
Date17 July 2009;14 years ago (2009-07-17)
07:47–07:57 WIB. (UTC+07)
Target JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Hotels
Attack type
Suicide bombing [1]
Deaths9 (including the perpetrators) [2]
Injured53 [3]

A terrorist bombing took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 17 July 2009. At around 07:47 until 07:57 WIB (00:47-00:57 UTC), [4] the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, were hit by two suicide bombers. The attacks were carried out five minutes apart. [2] [5] Seven people were killed, including three Australians, two Dutches, an Indonesian and a New Zealander. [2] More than 50 people were injured in the blasts. [6] [7] Both blasts were caused by suicide bombers, who checked into the hotels as paying guests several days earlier. [8] The twin suicide bombings came four years after the previous serious terrorist attack in Indonesia. [9]

Contents

Background

Since the 2002 Bali bombings, in which 202 were killed, Indonesia had stepped up attempts to crack down on terrorism. An anti-terrorism law was confirmed by the Indonesian legislature in 2003. [10] The 2002 attack was carried out by Jemaah Islamiyah, a group previously linked to al-Qaeda and later to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and seeking to unite Indonesia, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines as an Islamic state. [11] [12]

The Marriott had previously been the target of a suicide bombing in 2003. [13]

The attacks

The Marriott bombing occurred first and was followed five minutes later by the Ritz bombing. [5] Police moved to seal off the surrounding area. [5] At noon local time, an unexploded bomb was found in room 1808 of the Marriott, together with bomb-making equipment. [14] [15] [16]

The Ritz-Carlton explosion is thought to have originated in the Airlangga Restaurant on the second story, [5] where people were eating breakfast. [2] There was said to be glass everywhere. [5] A part of the facade of the Ritz Carlton was blown away by the blast and windows had been blown out.

The Marriott bombing occurred during one of a series of periodic breakfast meetings of CEOs and other prominent (and predominantly expatriate) members of the Jakarta business community hosted by James Castle, president of AmCham Indonesia, a branch of the United States Chamber of Commerce in Jakarta. [4] [17] The Marriott bomb was detonated in a small breakfast room rented for the event, and not in the main restaurant. [17] One witness said the lobby of the neighboring Plaza Mutiara building was destroyed in the explosion. [5]

The unexploded bomb in room 1808 of the JW Marriott hotel was programmed to go off prior to the other bomb there, but its timer malfunctioned. The Indonesian police believe the bomb was intended to create an atmosphere of panic, causing guests to flee their rooms to exit the hotel, and generating a significant crowd in the lobby. Had this occurred as planned, the lobby bomb may have taken a much greater toll. [18]

Casualties

There were a total of nine fatalities: [2] three Australians, one New Zealander, two Dutch tourists, and three Indonesians (including two suicide bombers). [19] The Australians killed were Austrade official Craig Senger, mining executive Garth McEvoy and Perth businessman Nathan Verity. [20] New Zealander Tim Mackay died; he was president and director of PT Holcim Indonesia and a master mariner. [21] The Indonesian man killed was Evert Mokodompis, a waiter at the JW Marriott Hotel. [22]

Sixteen foreigners were treated at Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) hospital. [23] A New Zealander, a Canadian, an Indian and 3 Dutch men were reported injured. [24] [25]

Investigation

Police believe planning for the bombings was led by Noordin Mohammad Top, who also involved in the 2005 Palu market bombing. The first meeting had been held on 30 April. Ibrohim, a florist who worked for a florist company which had stores in both the bombed hotels, was another key organiser. Ibrohim was recruited in 2000 by Saifudin Jaelani, his brother-in-law, while he was working as a florist at the Hotel Mulia in Jakarta. In 2005, Ibrohim and Jaelani were inaugurated as members of Noordin's special forces. Ibrohim set strategies, conducted surveys of the locations and smuggled the bombs into the hotels. Saifudin Jaelani is believed to have also recruited the suicide bombers for the operation.

The bombs were smuggled into the JW Marriott one day before the blast through the hotel's loading dock using a pick-up truck rented by Ibrohim. The bomb design and materials of an unexploded bomb found by Police in room 1808 were identical to those used by Jemaah Islamiyah in previous attacks. [26]

The suicide bomber of the JW Marriott Hotel was Dani Dwi Permana, an 18-year-old graduate of a private senior high school in Bogor, West Java. The suicide bomber of the Ritz-Carlton hotel was Nana Ikhwan Maulana, a 28-year-old former resident of Pandeglang, Banten. Dani rented room 1808 in the JW Marriott. The room was paid for by Amir Abdillah, who was arrested on 5 August.

On 7 August, police raided a house in Temanggung, Central Java. Three people were arrested and one person was killed, later identified to be Ibrohim. On 8 August, police raided a house in Bekasi, West Java, killing two people believed to be preparing to attack the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with a truck bomb near his private residence in Bogor, West Java.

Funding for the bombings is believed to have been provided from the Middle East. A number of suspects, including a Saudi Arabian national, have been arrested by Indonesian police for their involvement in handling the funds.

Aftermath

The bombings were deplored by numerous governmentsin Indonesia, elsewhere in the region, and around the world. [2] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] United States president Barack Obama, who spent a portion of his childhood in Jakarta, said, "I strongly condemn the attacks that occurred this morning in Jakarta, and extend my deepest condolences to all of the victims and their loved ones. The US government stands ready to help the Indonesian government respond to and recover from these outrageous attacks as a friend and partner." [34]

Manchester United, which had been scheduled to play an exhibition football match in Jakarta on 20 July 2009 and had booked rooms at the Ritz Carlton, cancelled the Jakarta leg of its tour. [5] [13]

Reopening

The hotel was closed for 2 weeks and reopened to the public on Monday, 3 August 2009 at 10:00 WIB. The 17th United States Ambassador to Indonesia's Cameron R. Hume attended the reopening of Hotel J.W. Marriott and Ritz Carlton on Wednesday, 29 July 2009 in Jakarta. The ambassador visited both hotels.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jemaah Islamiyah</span> Southeast Asian salafist organization founded in 1993

Jemaah Islamiyah is a Southeast Asian Islamist militant group based in Indonesia, which is dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic state in Southeast Asia. On 25 October 2002, immediately following the JI-perpetrated 2002 Bali bombings, JI was added to the UN Security Council Resolution 1267.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta</span> 2004 terror attack in Jakarta, Indonesia

A one-tonne car bomb, which was packed into a small Daihatsu delivery van, exploded outside the Australian embassy at Kuningan District, South Jakarta, at about 10:30 local time on 9 September 2004, killing 9 people including the suicide bomber, and wounding over 150 others. The explosion gutted the Greek embassy on the 12th floor of an adjacent building, where three diplomats were slightly wounded. Damage to the nearby Chinese embassy was also reported. Numerous office buildings surrounding the embassy were also damaged by the blast, which shattered windows in buildings 500 metres (500 yd) away, injuring many workers inside, mostly by broken glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Bali bombings</span> Terrorist attacks in Indonesia

A series of bombings occurred on 1 October 2005 in Bali, Indonesia. Bombs exploded at two sites in Jimbaran Beach resort and in Kuta 30 km (19 mi) away, both in south Bali. The terrorist attack claimed the lives of 20 people and injured more than 100 others. The attack was known in Indonesia as the second Bali bombing or Bali bombing II to distinguish it from the previous attack in 2002.

A suicide bomber detonated a car bomb outside the lobby of the JW Marriott Jakarta hotel on 5 August 2003, killing 12 people and injuring 150. Those killed included 11 Indonesians and one Dutch national. The hotel was viewed as a Western symbol, and had been used by the United States embassy for various events. The hotel was closed for five weeks and reopened to the public on 8 September 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noordin Mohammad Top</span> Malaysian terrorist (1968–2009)

Noordin Mohammad Top was a Malaysian Muslim extremist. He was also referred to as Noordin, Din Moch Top, Muh Top, Top M or Mat Top. Until his death, he was Indonesia's most wanted Islamist militant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Setiabudi</span> District in South Jakarta, Indonesia

Setiabudi is a district in the administrative city of South Jakarta, Indonesia. It is part of the Golden Triangle of Jakarta, the centre of business and commercial establishments in the city. Setiabudi is named after an Indonesian hero of partial Indo and Sundanese descent, Ernest Douwes Dekker, also known as Danudirdja Setiabudi. Setiabudi is bordered by Central Jakarta in the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company</span> American multinational luxury hotel chain

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is an American multinational company that operates the luxury hotel chain known as The Ritz-Carlton. The company has 108 luxury hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories with 29,158 rooms, in addition to 46 hotels with 8,755 rooms planned for the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrorism in Indonesia</span> Overview of terrorism in Indonesia

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The Al-Mukmin Islamic boarding school also known as Pesantren Al-Mukmin and Pondok Ngruki, is a pesantren located in Ngruki, a suburb in the regency of Sukoharjo, Central Java, Indonesia. It was founded 1972 by the alleged 'spiritual head' of Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Bakar Bashir, and by Abdullah Sungkar. Al-Mukmin's activities were initially limited to religious discussion after dhuhr. Following increasing interest, the founders expanded Al-Mukmin into a madrasah and then into a pesantren. It currently houses over 2000 students aged between 12 and 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing</span> Suicide bombing at the Marriott Hotel in Pakistan on 20 September 2008

The Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing occurred on the night of 20 September 2008, when a dumper truck filled with explosives was detonated in front of the Marriott Hotel in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, killing at least 54 people, injuring at least 266 and leaving a 60 ft wide, 20 ft deep crater outside the hotel. The majority of the casualties were Pakistanis; at least five foreign nationals were also killed and fifteen others reported injured. The attack occurred only hours after President Asif Ali Zardari made his first speech to the Pakistani parliament. The Marriott was the most prestigious hotel in the capital, and was located near government buildings, diplomatic missions, embassies and high commissions.

The JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta is a 5 star luxury hotel in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, Indonesia. The hotel is adjacent to the sister Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Hotel. The hotel, operated by JW Marriott, was opened in 2001 and offers 333 rooms and suites. It has been bombed twice, first on 5 August 2003 and the second time on 17 July 2009 by terrorists. The hotel has sustained $500 million in damage from its two deadly bombings. There are now five layers of blast walls surrounding the hotel, armed security personnel, and magnetometers to enter the hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritz-Carlton Jakarta</span> Skyscraper hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia

The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta is a hotel and skyscraper at Mega Kuningan in South Jakarta, Indonesia, operated by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and adjacent to the sister JW Marriott Hotel. The complex has two towers, the hotel and the Airlangga Apartment. The hotel was opened in 2005.

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On 14 January 2016, multiple explosions and gunfire were reported near the Sarinah shopping mall in central Jakarta, Indonesia, at the intersection of Jalan Kyai Haji Wahid Hasyim and Jalan MH Thamrin. One blast went off in a Burger King restaurant outside the mall. The attack occurred near a United Nations (UN) information centre, as well as luxury hotels and foreign embassies. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) confirmed that a Dutch UN official was seriously injured in the attacks. It was reported an armed stand-off took place on the fourth level of the Menara Cakrawala on Jalan MH Thamrin. At least eight people—four attackers and four civilians —were killed, and 23 others were injured due to the attack. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility.

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On 24 May 2017, two explosions occurred at a bus terminal in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta. Police confirmed that the explosions were caused by multiple explosive devices found in the toilet and in another part of the terminal. The bombings killed five people: three policemen and two attackers. The 11 injured people were taken to multiple hospitals across the Eastern Jakarta area.

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6°13′33″S106°49′38″E / 6.225758°S 106.827139°E / -6.225758; 106.827139