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CNN Sunday Morning

Death Toll From Explosions Mounts in Indonesia

Aired October 13, 2002 - 07:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin in Indonesia, where the death toll is mounting from massive explosions last night in the tourist area of the island of Bali. Two of the blasts destroyed two crowded clubs in the hub of the night life district. We have CNN's Atika Shubert on the telephone from Bali with more on this attack -- Atika.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, it's been a horrific day. We started the day looking at a death toll of perhaps a dozen, maybe more, and we've ended the day now with over -- with 182 people killed in both explosions. Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri just visited the hospital and the blast site. She didn't make any comments to press, but she was clearly very upset by what she saw.

She came with her chief security minister as well, the national police chief, who did come out making a statement that this is an act of terrorism, something that they condemned and they said they would take firm action against it -- Carol.

LIN: Atika, this is -- what -- seventh explosion in the last three weeks in Indonesia. Was there additional security, knowing that this was a heavily trafficked area, especially for foreigners?

SHUBERT: It is true; this is a very heavily trafficked area. But you have to understand, Bali has always been considered the haven of peace and tranquility, despite the political instability that we've seen over the years in Indonesia, and this is one of the reasons why people here find it so shocking that Bali could be a target.

Now, in terms of the other blast around this -- around Indonesia, we are not sure yet what all the connections were between the various blasts. We do know that there was a grenade blast last month that appeared to target U.S. embassy's facilities. There is some -- there is some thought now, looking into whether or not that blast was connected to what we saw here in Bali.

But certainly, even though increased security at U.S. embassy facilities in the last month, there really wasn't that much in the way of tourists, and this is the first attack that we've seen against tourists, and this is by far the worst terrorist attack Indonesia has ever seen, and it could be the deadliest attack since September 11 -- Carol.

LIN: Atika Shubert, thank you very much for that live report on the telephone.

Moving on now, no one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings. However, there is suspicion that these bombings are the work of terrorists. For more on the investigation, we go to Ralph Boyce. He is the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia. He is on the telephone with us from Jakarta.

Mr. Ambassador, good morning to you. Do you know who is responsible for this attack?

RALPH BOYCE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO INDONESIA: Not as yet, Carol. Obviously, the carnage is still being uncovered, and the authorities are down there. As you heard, the president is down there as well. They are still dealing with it in terms of an emergency, so it's a little premature to be concluding anything decisive.

LIN: But have you concluded that this is, in fact, an act of terrorism?

BOYCE: We take -- the national police chief and others around the president have already made statements to that effect, and we are very much considering it a despicable act of terrorism.

LIN: All right, an act of terrorism. Do you think, though, that this is in response to the Bush administration's push towards a preemptive strike against Iraq?

BOYCE: Not necessarily. There have been problems in Indonesia of late, involving signs that al Qaeda may have been involved in activities here, and indeed some more details in the last few weeks that we have brought to light that indicate that their presence here, that we've always suspected, is, in fact, one that we can now more or less confirm. There is also a number -- there are a number of local Indonesian groups that are -- while quite radical, represent only a handful of people in this largely moderate, tolerant country. And yet, as we can see, a handful of people can do an awful lot of damage.

LIN: Mr. Ambassador, I was talking with our correspondent there, Atika Shubert. This is the seventh explosion in the last three weeks. Do you think the Indonesian government is doing enough to battle terrorism there? Are you satisfied with the efforts there on the ground?

BOYCE: Well, I think that the efforts are going to have to be redoubled, if not more so, in response to this terrible act, and I think I see every evidence that they are intent on doing so. But I mean, that's still not going to bring back people who were so savagely taken away from us.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador, Ralph Boyce.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 13, 2002 - 07:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin in Indonesia, where the death toll is mounting from massive explosions last night in the tourist area of the island of Bali. Two of the blasts destroyed two crowded clubs in the hub of the night life district. We have CNN's Atika Shubert on the telephone from Bali with more on this attack -- Atika.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, it's been a horrific day. We started the day looking at a death toll of perhaps a dozen, maybe more, and we've ended the day now with over -- with 182 people killed in both explosions. Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri just visited the hospital and the blast site. She didn't make any comments to press, but she was clearly very upset by what she saw.

She came with her chief security minister as well, the national police chief, who did come out making a statement that this is an act of terrorism, something that they condemned and they said they would take firm action against it -- Carol.

LIN: Atika, this is -- what -- seventh explosion in the last three weeks in Indonesia. Was there additional security, knowing that this was a heavily trafficked area, especially for foreigners?

SHUBERT: It is true; this is a very heavily trafficked area. But you have to understand, Bali has always been considered the haven of peace and tranquility, despite the political instability that we've seen over the years in Indonesia, and this is one of the reasons why people here find it so shocking that Bali could be a target.

Now, in terms of the other blast around this -- around Indonesia, we are not sure yet what all the connections were between the various blasts. We do know that there was a grenade blast last month that appeared to target U.S. embassy's facilities. There is some -- there is some thought now, looking into whether or not that blast was connected to what we saw here in Bali.

But certainly, even though increased security at U.S. embassy facilities in the last month, there really wasn't that much in the way of tourists, and this is the first attack that we've seen against tourists, and this is by far the worst terrorist attack Indonesia has ever seen, and it could be the deadliest attack since September 11 -- Carol.

LIN: Atika Shubert, thank you very much for that live report on the telephone.

Moving on now, no one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings. However, there is suspicion that these bombings are the work of terrorists. For more on the investigation, we go to Ralph Boyce. He is the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia. He is on the telephone with us from Jakarta.

Mr. Ambassador, good morning to you. Do you know who is responsible for this attack?

RALPH BOYCE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO INDONESIA: Not as yet, Carol. Obviously, the carnage is still being uncovered, and the authorities are down there. As you heard, the president is down there as well. They are still dealing with it in terms of an emergency, so it's a little premature to be concluding anything decisive.

LIN: But have you concluded that this is, in fact, an act of terrorism?

BOYCE: We take -- the national police chief and others around the president have already made statements to that effect, and we are very much considering it a despicable act of terrorism.

LIN: All right, an act of terrorism. Do you think, though, that this is in response to the Bush administration's push towards a preemptive strike against Iraq?

BOYCE: Not necessarily. There have been problems in Indonesia of late, involving signs that al Qaeda may have been involved in activities here, and indeed some more details in the last few weeks that we have brought to light that indicate that their presence here, that we've always suspected, is, in fact, one that we can now more or less confirm. There is also a number -- there are a number of local Indonesian groups that are -- while quite radical, represent only a handful of people in this largely moderate, tolerant country. And yet, as we can see, a handful of people can do an awful lot of damage.

LIN: Mr. Ambassador, I was talking with our correspondent there, Atika Shubert. This is the seventh explosion in the last three weeks. Do you think the Indonesian government is doing enough to battle terrorism there? Are you satisfied with the efforts there on the ground?

BOYCE: Well, I think that the efforts are going to have to be redoubled, if not more so, in response to this terrible act, and I think I see every evidence that they are intent on doing so. But I mean, that's still not going to bring back people who were so savagely taken away from us.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador, Ralph Boyce.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com