Possible connection to al Qaeda in the Baali Bombing

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2002-10-14 03:00pm

CNN reports about the possible connection to al Qaeda in the Baali Bombing

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2002-10-14 03:01pm

Wrong forum move to OT please

kheegster · Post by **kheegster** » 2002-10-14 04:19pm

I actually went on vacation over there earlier this year, and I stayed in Kuta as well (where the bombing occured). I probably walked past that nite club in fact.

But regards to the Al-Qaeda link, I think it's more likely caused by their own fundamentalists nutters (and they have plenty of those), so any connection is indirect at most.

KG

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2002-10-14 04:52pm

Well, Indonesia has many Islamic radicals, but I don't think there is an Al-Qaeda connection. It was also reported that bin Laden praised the attacks, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was linked to him. Still, a ist attack is a ist attack.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2002-10-14 04:54pm

I was speaking with a friend of mine who works for the police in Brisbane. He said they got in lots of calls from worried family members. It seems this club is about the only one that allows foreigners in. Just knowing that little bit of info makes you wonder.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2002-10-14 05:37pm

Whoever did this, they targeted "westerners" on purpose.

kheegster · Post by **kheegster** » 2002-10-14 05:44pm

Kelly Antilles wrote:I was speaking with a friend of mine who works for the police in Brisbane. He said they got in lots of calls from worried family members. It seems this club is about the only one that allows foreigners in. Just knowing that little bit of info makes you wonder.

That isn't so. The entire economy of the area is geared towards tourism, so it's extremely unlikely that any club can afford not to let in foreigners (in any case the locals are unlikely to be party animals themselves). In any case I've been there, and every single club was rabidly promoting themselves to foreigners.

And the predominant religion on Bali is NOT Islam. It's a form of Hinduism.

KG

Post by **weemadando** » 2002-10-14 05:51pm

I really doubt that this was al Qaeda. Liek I said in another thread, this "smells" more like an attack by one of the nationalist groups. Who have more than enough reasons to want to attack Australians as well as other westerners.

Sothis · Post by **Sothis** » 2002-10-14 06:04pm

Al Qaeda might have had an indirect involvement (financial support?), but it was probably the work of a local group. There are a number of fanatical terror groups in Indonesia, that would probably all try this sort of thing.

Post by **Colonel Olrik** » 2002-10-14 06:16pm

I just want to further add that hinduism is shared by 95% of the population of the island, and that it was an extremelly peaceful area until now, spared from the conflicts that afflict some indonesia areas.

And while tourists were the target, I think 50% of the dead are locals.

I don't think it is that ovious it was a nacionalistic group. There are relatively few rebelious areas in the country, composed by more than 200 islands, and Bali wasn't one of them. The nacionalistic movements want independence of the respective islands. Jacarta fights them and ocasionally calls them terrorists, but they have never, to my knowledge, caused massive deaths in their or other territories.

East Timor is an example. It has been a rebelious island since their conquering by Indonesia, after Portugal gave them independence, been called terrorist by Jacarta and is now an independant country. And it has never engaged in terrorists activities, defined as those of killing civilians in random places.

Unfortunelly, other than terrorists groups, there is a lot of muslim fundamentalism spread throughout the islands. There has been a lot of attacks of christians by muslims and, although not related with religion, of asiatics (because of the fundies belief that they control all the richnesses of the country).

There are certainly groups of muslim fundamentalism in the country, and those have reasons to be simpathetic to and supported by alqaeda.

And the attacked area reunited two conditions much favoured by the muslim fundies: lots of ocidentals, and to them we're all american, and being a non-muslim area (in fact, the only one of the country).

Post by **weemadando** » 2002-10-14 06:20pm

What you've said [Olrik] supports my statement that it was likely a nationalist group. *edit* Sorry, should clarify... the problem is that what is the motivation of a Muslim group to attack there? Why not continue with their internal attacks on Churches etc? I know that there is a motivation for them to attack a nightclub but why bring down the wrath of the world? And East Timor is a great example of nationalists in action. Look at what happened when it voted for independance. You're trying to tell me those kind of groups wouldn't bomb a night-club?*/edit*

Indonesia generally has about a bombing a day somewhere (generally Aceh or another highly rebellious area). Perhaps they just decided to take it to somewhere where it would get the attention of the world.

Enlightenment · Post by **Enlightenment** » 2002-10-14 06:46pm

Al Qiada or not, either way we're still most likely looking at some Muslim fuckwit who went and blew something up because Allah told him to. These excuses for human beings are like hand grenades with the Koran as the fuze: give them the holey book they arm, take it away they detonate.

This post had an unsupported media type (415).

Post by **Colonel Olrik** » 2002-10-14 06:56pm

weemadando wrote:What you've said [Olrik] supports my statement that it was likely a nationalist group. *edit* Sorry, should clarify... the problem is that what is the motivation of a Muslim group to attack there? Why not continue with their internal attacks on Churches etc?.

Getting attention. What would be the motivation of a nacionalistic group? Bali doesn't have them, and if it had then they would not do such a devastating blow on their own country. and why would the Aceh fighters bomb other palces? They never did it and it goes against their interests. Honest independence fighters want international support, not international anger.

I know that there is a motivation for them to attack a nightclub but why bring down the wrath of the world?

Don't know. Why did they attack the Twin Towers? or blew up a ship?

And East Timor is a great example of nationalists in action. Look at what happened when it voted for independance. You're trying to tell me those kind of groups wouldn't bomb a night-club?*/edit*

The East Timor issue strikes very close to home, so believe me. The referendum gave 75% in favour for independence. Then, militias composed mostly by indonesian, armed by the indonesian army, with their help, put Dili on fire while the nacionalistic army stood quiet in their barracks, abbiding to the stipulated deal. They didn't help their population because they knew That was what the indonesian army wanted, a pretense of civil war to declare the referedum null of effects.

In fact, all the terrorist actions were caused by the indonesians(Santa Cruz massacre, force imposition of new language, persecution of the Catholic Church).

Indonesia generally has about a bombing a day somewhere (generally Aceh or another highly rebellious area). Perhaps they just decided to take it to somewhere where it would get the attention of the world.

For the reasons I mentioned above, I don't think it's likely the bombing reponsability to be of pure nacionalistic movements. Specially because we know there are fundamentalist groups in the area