Readwrotes Blog

Dicky Christanto and Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 07/18/2009 1:54 PM | Headlines The State Intelligent Agency (BIN) has admitted its failure to detect the infiltration of terrorists allegedly behind the bomb blasts that ripped through the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels Friday in the Mega Kuningan business district, South Jakarta. "We didn't pick up on their moves," BIN chief Syamsir Siregar said during a visit to MMC Hospital with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to check on the victims being treated there. "You could say it was an infiltration." He declined to say whether more attacks were imminent. Intelligence expert Dino Chrisbon said the blasts may have been planned to take advantage of recent attempts by the police's top brass to curtail the authority of its special counterterrorism unit. He said financial constraints had forced the police to scale back its special un...

The Jakarta Post , JAKARTA | Sat, 07/18/2009 10:31 AM | Headlines President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Friday the perpetrators of the hotel bombings may have been part of a new group of terrorists who were also targeting him in a bid to derail the presidential election. “This is a black day in our history,” Yudhoyono said in his address to the nation after a closed-door meeting with top security officials. “This act of terrorism was carried out by a group of terrorists who may not be from the network we currently know of.” Visibly emotional, the President condemned the attack and pledged to bring to justice those responsible. “I swear in the name of the Indonesia people that the government will take firm, appropriate and correct action,” he said. However, he stopped short of saying the bombers came from the same group he claimed was bent on sabotaging his re-election. “This is based on intelligence reports, not gossip or rumors,”...

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta , temanggung | Tue, 07/21/2009 5:05 PM | Headlines The National Police confirmed Friday's explosions in two Jakarta hotels were suicide bombs and the methods used bore many similarities to previous Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) attacks. Police deputy chief spokesman Brig. Gen. Sulistiyo Ishak, however, said Monday that the police had not found a link between the bombers and JI, despite finding bomb materials similar to those found in a JI safe house in Cilacap, Central Java. "We do not want to jump to any conclusion. The bomb materials have many similarities with the ones in Cilacap, and also the ones used in Bali during both Bali bombings," he said. "However, we cannot confirm for now whether JI is behind the latest bombings or not." Suicide bombers attacked the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in South Jakarta's Mega Kuningan district on Friday morning. The blast killed at least nine people...

Endy M. Bayuni , Jakarta | Tue, 07/21/2009 2:24 PM | Headlines The suicide bombings at the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels in Jakarta last week have devastated Indonesia's image as a safe place for foreigners to live in and visit, but unlike the previous major terror attacks, the recovery process this time around will likely be that much harder and probably even longer. Among the dead and injured on Friday were several genuine friends of Indonesia - those who truly believed in the country, in its people, in its democracy, in its government, in its economy and in what the nation can achieve, given the opportunity. They had been prominent in helping restore international confidence in Indonesia in each of the four times the nation came under terrorist attacks since the nightclub bombings in Bali in October 2002. They spoke for Indonesia at many regional and international forums, believing that in spite of the security threats from terrorism, ...

Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 07/21/2009 2:17 PM | Headlines Golkar Party heavyweights confirmed Monday that Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, is, along with media magnate Surya Paloh, the top contender to replace Vice President Jusuf Kalla as chairman of the party after his all but official defeat in the presidential election. As officials from 33 regional Golkar branches gathered at Golkar's headquarters in Jakarta on Monday for a national consultation meeting to discuss the results of the recent presidential election, pressure to hold the party's annual national caucus early so that the next chairman could be decided gained momentum. Golkar deputy chairman Muladi said although the party had yet to discuss the party's future chairman, Aburizal and Paloh were the strongest candidates for the post. "Some also mention Yudi Krisnandi, but he will just make the contest merrie...

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 07/21/2009 2:14 PM | Headlines Intelligence experts say the recent presidential election distracted the police from the activities of terrorist organizations, leading to the recent bombings of the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels. The Indonesian authorities inability to counter Islamic radicals's ideological justification of violence as well as their failure to capture Noordin M. Top, Indonesia's most wanted man, mean terrorist attacks will remain a threat to the country, experts said. "Most security personnel were focused on the elections, providing a window of opportunity for the terrorists to execute their mission," an expert from the National Independence Development Institute (LPKN), Wawan Purwanto, told The Jakarta Post on Monday. "The terrorists constantly change their appearances. They also alter their daily behavior and addresses. These constant changes make it difficult for the p...

Ary Hermawan , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 07/18/2009 1:50 PM | Headlines The international community condemned the terror attacks on the lavish JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta on Friday, with world leaders calling them *barbaric' and *senseless' acts of violence. "The US condemns such senseless acts of violence. We stand ready to provide assistance if asked by the government of Indonesia," a statement from the US State Department read on Friday, according to CNN. Speaking in Prague, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the attack was a reminder that "the threat of terrorism remains very real," the AP reported." She added that, "we have no higher priority than confronting this threat along with other countries that share our commitment to a more peaceful and prosperous future." Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he felt "sick in the stomach" when he heard news o...

Aditya Suharmoko , The Jakarta Post , JAKARTA | Sat, 07/18/2009 11:08 AM | Headlines The rupiah and Indonesian stocks and bonds proved to be resilient to negative sentiments caused by the almost simultaneous blasts at the Kuningan business district in South Jakarta on Friday. Data complied by Bloomberg shows the currency slid as much as 1 percent before trading 0.4 percent lower at 10,163 as of 4:37 p.m. The local currency reached 10,075 against the greenback Thursday, its strongest level since June 15. The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) composite index of shares slumped as much as 2.7 percent at early trading before recouping the bulk of its slide. Economic ministers and the central bank made a quick response to minimize the impacts of the bomb blasts hurting the economy. The officials expect the negative sentiment to last for a couple days only. Bank Indonesia deputy governor Hartadi A. Sarwono said the central bank supported the rupia...

Agnes Winarti , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 07/17/2009 1:47 PM | Headlines Former Indonesian soccer players who held a Manchester United team to a goalless draw back in 1975 have encouraged their predecessors not to be cowed by Sir Alex Ferguson's star-studded squad. "My advice for the current squad is, don't be afraid," Anjas Asmara, who played as a midfielder, said Thursday during the official unveiling of the Indonesian All-Stars team. "They're human, just like us. Their blood is red, just like ours." The unveiling was held at TVOne, which will broadcast Monday's match live. Anjas was a member of the Indonesian team that held the United team to a goalless draw the first time the English giants came to Indonesia. The Indonesian team comprised goalkeeper Ronny Pasla, defenders Sutan Harhara, Oyong Liza and Suaib Rizal, midfielders Iim Ibrahim, Anjas Asmara, Nobon and Waskito, and strikers Junaedi...

The Associated Press , Bangkok | Wed, 07/22/2009 7:08 AM | World On her second trip to Asia as U.S. secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton is carrying a no-nonsense message about American intentions. "The United States is back," she declared Tuesday upon arrival in the Thai capital. By that she means the administration of President Barack Obama thinks it's time to show Asian nations that the United States is not distracted by its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and intends to broaden and deepen its partnerships in this region. Clinton trumpeted that line Wednesday in an appearance with a prominent TV personality before flying to a seaside resort at Phuket for two days of international meetings to discuss North Korea, Myanmar and a range of other regional issues. Clinton said she would, as previously announced, sign ASEAN's seminal Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, a commitment to peacefully resolve regional disputes that has a...

Kristen Gelineau , The Associated Press , Sydney, Australia | Thu, 07/16/2009 8:15 AM | Sci-Tech A fairy penguin takes a look around at the boardwalk on Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday. AP/Rob Griffith The first battered bodies were found on a small Australian beach, the white sand around them stained crimson with their blood. A few days later, the killer struck again - this time on the nearby cliffs overlooking Sydney Harbor. The cluster of victims were covered in bite marks, their tiny tummies slashed open. Through blood-spatter evidence and DNA testing, a profile of the killer began to emerge: Stealthy. Fast. Furry. What is killing the little penguins in Sydney's beachside suburb of Manly? A fox? A dog? Both? The investigation so far has yielded some clues. Officials can almost certainly rule out humans; the bite marks and blood patterns point to foxes, which often hold prey in their mouths and prance around shaking it, ...

Triwik Kurniasari , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sun, 07/19/2009 9:24 AM | People kapanlagi.com This man has been through various characters in many movies and performances, delving deeply into the roles to show his devotion to acting. For instance, he plays a Balinese journalist in the Indonesian movie Telegram; stars as a dukun santet (sorcerer) in Kafir (Infidel); and plays the head of a political party in Capres or Calo President (A Broker for the President). Born in East Java’s Jember on Aug. 31, 1962, Sujiwo Tejo even made the big sacrifice in Capres of having his hair cut — something he had not done since university — in a bid to suit his role better. After a series of characters, hard work and even sacrifices for his love of acting, Sujiwo decided to step into a new profession as a film director. While he has directed a number of documentaries and theater shows, directing a movie is a brand new thing for Tejo. He is currently...

By VOA News 21 July 2009 Afghan soldier stands guard near burqa used by suicide attacker in Gardez, 21 Jul 2009 A group of Taliban militants strapped with explosives and armed with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launched assaults Tuesday on Afghan and U.S. facilities in two eastern Afghan cities, killing six security officers. Officials say the gunmen, some wearing suicide vests and disguised in women's burqa robes, tried to storm the local intelligence office, the governor's office and a police compound in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province. Six militants were reported killed in gunbattles with police. In Jalalabad, the capital of northeastern Nangarhar province bordering Pakistan, at least two militants were killed while trying to attack a base for U.S. and Afghan forces. A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attacks. He said 15 suicide bombers took part in the Garde...

By Jennifer Glasse London 21 July 2009 NATO's Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in London, 20 Jul 2009 NATO's outgoing Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says the alliance's mission in Afghanistan is essential to international security and that leaving the country would leave the way open for a return of al Qaida. Speaking in London on Monday, two weeks before he finishes his tenure, Scheffer said the alliance has made progress, but faces challenges in the 21st century and must adapt to the modern world. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says NATO cannot abandon Afghanistan, even though it presents challenges to the NATO countries fighting there. "If we would run and if we would lose, the consequences would be dire, not only for Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region, but certainly also for us here in the United Kingdom or in the Netherlands or Belgium for that matter," said Jaap de Hoop S...

By Mike O'Sullivan Los Angeles 21 July 2009 Critics say state's long-term problems remain unresolved California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, 20 Jul 2009 California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced a deal with legislators to close a $26-billion gap in the California budget. Lawmakers in the state capital, Sacramento, are expected to vote on the deal this week. The agreement may put California's troubled economy back on track, but critics say it does not resolve ongoing problems. After months of negotiations, Governor Schwarzenegger announced the compromise Monday evening. "This is a budget that will have no tax increases, a budget that is cutting spending," said Arnold Schwarzenegger. "We deal with the entire $26 billion deficit, around $15 billion in cuts." The deal ends a crisis that left California unable to pay its bills, instead issuing IOUs, or promissory n...

By Dan Robinson Washington 21 July 2009 The debate over plans to reform America's health care system is raging in the U.S. Congress, as majority Democrats and President Barack Obama defend their proposal for a sweeping overhaul, and Republicans sharpen their criticism. President Obama is fighting hard for his top domestic priority, an overhaul of the current health care system that would cost at least $1 trillion, a priority he asserts that can be achieved without adding to the federal budget deficit. Before a meeting on Tuesday with Democrats on the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, one of five House and Senate panels preparing legislation, the president said again that Congress needs to put politics aside and get the job done. "Time and again, we have heard excuses to delay and defeat reform. Time and again, the American people have suffered because people in Washington pla...

By Anjana Pasricha New Delhi 21 July 2009 Soldier patrols neighborhood adjacent to special bombproof court at Arthur Road prison where trial is being conducted, in Mumbai, 20 July 2009 An Indian court has adjourned the trial of a Pakistani man who unexpectedly changed his plea to guilty and confessed that he was one of the 10 gunmen who carried out last year's terror strikes in Mumbai. His confession reconstructs how the three-day siege of India's financial capital was conducted. The trial was adjourned after 21-year-old Mohammed Ajmal Kasab revealed more details of his role in the terror strikes in Mumbai. Kasab was the only gunman to be captured alive when extremists stormed several targets in India's financial hub last November. He initially pleaded innocent when the trial began in May, but took both the prosecution and defense by surprise on Monday by saying he was guilty and making a detailed...

By Ayaz Gul Islamabad 21 July 2009 Pakistani security force soldiers show arrested militants and confiscated ammunition to media in tribal area of Khyber, 21 Jul 2009 Security forces in Pakistan are said to have killed more than 56 Taliban militants in clashes this week in one of the several northwestern districts where a major anti-insurgency operation is underway. Local military commanders say that the militants were killed during, what they describe as, a major search and cordon operation in several villages of the Lower Dir district. They say the clashes also left three soldiers dead. The northwestern region borders the Swat valley and several other districts where Pakistani troops are said to be wrapping up an anti-Taliban offensive they launched more than two months ago. The military claims the offensive has killed more than 1,700 militants, but it has not reported killing of any top Taliban commanders ...