This is a sad day for Indonesia. After a lull of 4 years free from terrorist attacks when the country remained peaceful and moved forward in the economy, socially and democratically, managing to arrest, put on trial and execute terrorists, –  today, Friday, 17 July 2009 terrorists have again succeeded in shaking Jakarta.

At 7.47 am this morning a bomb exploded at the Syailendra Coffee Shop of the luxurious Marriott hotel, followed  at 7.57 by another blast at the Airlangga coffee shop at the adjacent Ritz-Carlton in the business and diplomatic district in Central Jakarta.  Later, Police disabled an active – low explosive, black powder bomb in room 1808 of the Marriott hotel where the terrorists are believed to have stayed for two nights and prepared the bombs.

The blasts killed 6 persons at the Marriott, 2 at the Ritz Carlton and one in hospital, injuring 61 persons, said the Police. Five of the casualties were foreigners while those injured included foreign hotel guests and Indonesian hotel staff on duty.

Indications are that the blasts were the work of two suicide bombers as two badly blown up bodies were found at both hotels. A CCTV video showed a man in a black suit wearing a cap coming out of the lift at the Marriott, crossing the lobby pulling behind him a small suitcase walking calmly towards the coffee shop. A minute later, an explosion shattered windows, mangled furnishings, sending up billowing smoke – eerily reminiscent of a similar scene at the second Bali bombing at a coffee shop in Kuta .

Saturday, 18 July) World condemnation came immediately. “Indonesia has been steadfast in combating violent extremism, and has successfully curbed Terrorist Activity within its borders,” US President Obama said. “However, these attacks make it clear that extremists remain committed to murdering innocent men, women and children of any faith in all countries,” as quoted  by Associated Press. Other U.S. officials said Indonesia’s recent rejection of fundamentalist Islamic candidates and a four-year hiatus from heavy terrorist activity provides hope that Friday’s blast was not an indicator of renewed militant strength. But some counterterrorism experts warned that officials needed to brace for that possibility — a concern Obama pointed to in his own statement.

Other world leaders condemning the bombing include Prime Minister Kevin Rudd from Australia, and leaders from EU, Great Britain, France, New Zealand, Japan and ASEAN neighbours. The United Nations  issued a resolution condemning the bombing in Jakarta but remains confident that Indonesia is capable of routing the terrorists. The UN also called an all nations to assist Indonesia in its fight against terrorism.

After Friday’s attacks, president Yudhoyono said they were carried out by a “terrorist group” and vowed to arrest the perpetrators. He also suggested a possible link to the national election last week that is expected to hand him another five-year term as president.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood declined to comment on who he thought might have been behind Friday’s strikes but noted that terrorist groups would feel pressured by Indonesia’s democratic trends.”Indonesia’s made an awful lot of progress over the last several years, and there are groups, organizations that are threatened by another democracy in that part of the world,” he said, wrote AP.

Meanwhile, life in Jakarta has continued its normal pace as it has in the whole of Indonesia. Security has, however, been tightened at international air and seaports, and hotels and malls have been instructed to intensify security measures.