Bali bombings kill at least 25

BALI, Indonesia — Suicide bombers targeted the Indonesian tropical resort of Bali with coordinated attacks yesterday that devastated seafood and noodle restaurants packed with foreigners, killing at least 25 persons.

Maj. Gen. Ansyaad Mbai, one of Indonesia’s top anti-terrorism officials, said the three attackers went into the restaurants wearing explosive vests. The remains of their bodies were found at the scenes, he said.

The blasts came a month after Indonesia’s president warned of possible terrorist attacks. Two Americans were among the wounded.

Yesterday’s near-simultaneous blasts at two seafood cafes on Jimbaran beach and a three-story noodle and steak restaurant in downtown Kuta occurred almost three years to the day that Islamic militants first targeted Bali.

On Oct. 12, 2002, terrorists linked to al Qaeda set off two bombs close to each other at Bali’s Kuta beach, killing 202 and injuring more than 300.

No one claimed responsibility for the latest bombings in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, but suspicion immediately fell on the al Qaeda-linked militant group Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for the 2002 attacks and other deadly attacks in Jakarta in recent years.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said terrorists were to blame and warned that more attacks were possible.

“We will hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” he said, calling on people “to be on the alert.”

Western and Indonesian intelligence agencies have warned repeatedly that Jemaah Islamiyah was plotting more attacks despite a string of arrests. Last month, Mr. Yudhoyono said he was especially worried the extremist network was about to strike.

“I received information at the time that terrorists were planning an action in Jakarta and that explosives were ready,” he said yesterday.

Vice President Yusuf Kalla told the British Broadcasting Corp. it was too soon to identify those responsible. He said Mr. Yudhoyono will visit the area today.

Officials at Sanglah Hospital, near Bali’s capital of Denpasar, said 25 persons were killed and 101 others were being treated at six hospitals.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that at least one Australian was killed. Metro TV said a Japanese citizen also died.

The wounded included 49 Indonesians, 17 Australians, six Koreans, three Japanese and two Americans, Sanglah Hospital said.

The White House condemned the “attack aimed at innocent people taking their evening meal.”

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