Australian Embassy In Jakarta Bombed In Today's Memory, September 9, 2004

A wreath in front of the Australian Embassy after the bomb exploded on September 9, 2004. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA Memories of today, 20 years ago, September 9, 2004, a bomb exploded in front of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. The bomb killed 14 people and hundreds were injured. The incident shocked the whole of Indonesia.

Previously, there were not a few bomb terrors in the era of Megawati Soekarnoputri's government. Indonesia was initially surprised by the presence of the Bali Bombing I. This incident made Indonesia considered an unsafe country to visit. Before the panic of the Bali bombing subsided, the JW Marriott Hotel bomb appeared and made a scene.

There were not a few acts of terror in the era of Megawati Soekarnoputri's government. Megawati was once dizzy because Indonesia was again targeted by acts of terror. The worst terror activity was none other than the Bali Bombing I.

The island of the Gods, which is known to be peaceful and peaceful, was actually used as the location of the bombing. The bomb exploded in three different places on October 12, 2002. Among others at the Sari Club, Paddy's Pub, and near the office of the United States Consulate.

The bombing made victims fall. Hundreds of lives died. Those who were injured also reached hundreds. The average victims are foreign tourists who are busy on vacation to Bali. This condition brings deep sorrow from countries in the world.

President Megawati immediately held a special plenary cabinet meeting. Megawati asked the National Police to be deftended on preventive measures. If there has been a panic in the people, it can destroy several other sectors, from investment, tourism, to the economy.

Not yet finished with the Bali Bombings, another bomb exploded at the JW Marriott Hotel, Jakarta on August 5, 2003. The bomb killed 12 people and injured 145 people. The Islamic congregation is considered the mastermind. The bombing indicated that acts of terror were still ongoing in Indonesia.

Apparently, the Marriott II and Ritz Carlton bomb attacks were carried out by the Noordin M Top group. With limited explosives supply, this splinter group was only able to make bombs with low explosive power, in contrast to some previous bombings.

"It seems that Marriott and Ritz Carlton were chosen for a classic old reason, which is the clearest American symbol. Because the bombs they have are relatively small, they must be detonated inside the hotel, so that the effect of the attack remains large. The latest advantage of this group is its ability to penetrate into hotels," said Prayitno Ramelan in the book Intelligence and Creative Economy (2009).

The act of terror did not stop. After that, acts of terror again threatened the Australian Embassy on September 9, 2004. The bombing was carried out by terrorists who dared to die who were later identified as Heri Kurniawan alias Heri Golun part of the Jemaah Islamiyah.

Heri at that time carried out terror by carrying a bomb in a box car that crossed the Australian Embassy. The bomb that exploded at 10:30 WIB left 11 people dead and 154 people injured. Those who died were Embassy security officers, visa applicants, and local residents.

No Australian has died in the incident. The act of terror also damaged other buildings. At its peak, acts of terror made Indonesia's security questioned again. However, the National Police quickly traced other suspects. As a result, Rois, Ahmad Hasan, Apuy, and Sogir alias Abdul Fatah were arrested in Bogor on November 5, 2004.

Several buildings around the scene were also damaged. Among others, the office of the Ministry of Cooperatives opposite the Australian Embassy, Plaza 89. Also, the Sentra Mulia building which is about 100 meters from the explosion.

Two ANTV studio windows on the 19th floor were broken, so that's where ANTV made a live broadcast. The bomb case in front of the Australian Embassy JZELA Rasuna Said Kuningan, South Jakarta is the third major act of terrorism aimed at Australia that occurred in Indonesia after the 2002 Bali Bombing and the JW Marriott Bombing in 2003," said Tito Karnavian in the book In the Terrorism vorticity (2018).