Jakarta Hotel Attacks (UPDATE) July 21, 2009 Security Advisory Council • Two explosions –JW Marriott Hotel –Ritz-Carlton The Attack • At least 9 people killed • More than

Overseas Security Advisory Council

Jakarta Hotel Attacks (UPDATE)

July 21, 2009


• Two explosions

– JW Marriott Hotel

– Ritz-Carlton

The Attack • At least 9 people killed

• More than 50 injured, including 8 U.S. citizens


The Attack at JW Marriott

• The bomb at the JW

Marriott was detonated at

7:45am in a lounge on the

ground floor to the right

of the lobby

• The bomber was wearing

a backpack on his chest

and pulling luggage

toward the lounge



• When stopped by

security, the bomber told

guards he was delivering

a case to his boss

• The bomb was detonated

shortly after entering the

lounge

• Seven people, including

the bomber, were killed



• An unexploded bomb and

other bomb-making

materials were found in

room 1808 at the JW

Marriott hotel

• The bomb and materials

were subsequently

rendered safe

https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=105021


The Attack at Ritz-Carlton• Ten minutes later, the bomb at

the Ritz-Carlton reportedly

detonated inside the restaurant

on the lobby floor

• The bomber went into the

restaurant and stated his room

number as 2701 (the Ritz-Carlton

has 26 floors)

• After being asked his name, the

bomber offered to pay cash

• The bomb was detonated as the

waiter went to bring him coffee

• The bomber and one other person

was killed


The Attack

• Police stated both

bombers were likely

guests at the JW

Marriott

• Indonesian authorities

suspect the bomber(s)

checked into room 1808

at the JW Marriott to set

up bombs


Jemaah Islamiyah Suspected• It is becoming increasingly clear that

Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) was behind the attack

– The bombing was an attack on a Western target, a signature of JI

– Attackers may have been part of a radical JI splinter group headed by Noordin Top

– Top implicated in every major attack in Indonesia since 2002 Bali bombings

– Top is known to have supported mass casualty attacks despite dissent within JI ranks

– Top is listed in the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice International Terrorism list

Noordin M. Top


Jemaah Islamiyah Suspected• Indonesian police say the explosive material

recovered at the hotel was “identical” to that used in earlier JI attacks– Unexploded bomb in the hotel matches the types

used in the 2002 Bali attacks

• Police are also looking into connections between Friday’s explosives and those discovered at an Islamic boarding school in Cilicap, Central Java

• In the same area, more explosives were found buried in the yard of Noordin Top’s father-in-law, who is also at large


Jemaah Islamiyah Suspected

• Indonesian media claimed to have identified one of the bombers– Police reportedly taking DNA samples from his family

in Temanggung, Central Java to confirm

• Man identified as Nur Hasbi– Aliases: Nurdin Aziz, Nur Sahid

– A close cohort of Noordin Top

– Graduated from Al-Mukmin Islamic boarding school in Ngruki, Central Java in 1995

– Many alumni of Al-Mukmin have gone on to join JI


Jemaah Islamiyah Suspected• Indonesian anti-terrorism

sources believe the ground coordinator of last Friday’s attacks to be a man by the name of Tedi– Aliases: Reno, Aji

– Tedi is known as Indonesia’s leading terrorist bomb maker

– Along with now deceased JI bomb maker Azahari Husin, Tedi is believed to have built the bombs used in the 2005 Bali attacks

– Police believe he built the bolt-packed bombs used in last Friday’s attacks

Bali Attacks

October 2005


Background on Jemaah Islamiyah

• Militant Islamic group

operating in several

Southeast Asian nations

• Believed to have been

founded in the early 1990s

• Goal is to create a Pan-

Islamic state across much of

the region

• Extensive history of terrorism

in Indonesia


A Timeline of Recent JI Attacks

• 2002, October: Massive car bomb and back-pack mounted bomb explodes in one

Bali night club and outside another, killing 202 people and injuring hundreds more

• 2003, August: Car bomb explodes outside of the JW Marriott in Jakarta, killing 12

people and injuring 150

• 2004, September: Car bomb explodes outside of Australian Embassy, killing 11

and wounding over 160

• 2005, October: Three suicide bombers attack tourist destinations in Bali, killing

20 people and injuring an additional 129


Analysis

• Initial media reports suggested that the bomb on the 18th

floor of the JW Marriott was to explode prior to the lobby

bomb, triggering a rush of guests into the lobby, where the

second bomb would then explode

• New reporting indicates that the lobby bomber did not wait

for any initial explosion before detonating

• Press reports also suggest that the bomb on the ground

floor of the JW Marriott may have specifically targeted a

regular weekly meeting of several business heads

operating in the country


Analysis• Overall, the deep

penetration into the hotel’s

interior signifies a shift in

tactics for JI

– Previous attacks have

been at the entrances of

buildings or elsewhere

near their exteriors

– In bypassing the

enhanced hotel security,

JI seems to have grown

more sophisticated in its

tactical approach

Australia Embassy Bombing September 2004


Analysis• No available

threat information presaging attacks

– This indicates Top may be recruiting unknowns

– This further bolsters the “splinter group” theory


Analysis• It is difficult to say, but another near-term attack is

not likely

– It took four years from the last attack to orchestrate the July attack

– JI has been seriously disabled• Indonesia has had great success fighting JI

– Authorities have captured several key leaders of the group

– There is intense counterterrorism pressure on Top and other JI leaders


Current Situation/Government Response

• While heavy at first, the Indonesia police/military presence around hotels in Jakarta appears to be tapering off

• The rest of Jakarta appears to be going back to normal business after the three day weekend


Private Sector Response• Majority of constituents report no change in travel policy

• However, vigilance is being exercised and the situation is being monitored

• Many constituents are going to business-essential travel only

• A few constituents have reported suspending travel

• Most conducted early releases on Friday and closed offices until Tuesday

• Some companies are warning employees to stay away from sites that typically attract Westerners


Further Information/Contact

Reports:

• Warden Message: Update - Jakarta Hotel Bombings

• Warden Message: Jakarta Hotel Bombings

Josh RichardsRegional Coordinator, East Asia & Pacific

[email protected]

571-345-2233






mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Jakarta Hotel Attacks (UPDATE) July 21, 2009 Security Advisory Council • Two explosions –JW Marriott Hotel –Ritz-Carlton The Attack • At least 9 people killed • More than