PM: I'm advised that this morning at around 7:45am Jakarta time, that's 10:45am Australian Eastern Standard Time, bombs exploded at the Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Jakarta.
Early this afternoon I convened a meeting of the National Security Committee of the Cabinet and of our various security agencies, to establish the facts concerning these events and what actions are being taken in response to them.
Let me state at the outset the following - any terrorist attack anywhere is an attack on us all. Any terrorist attack on our friends in Indonesia is an attack on our neighbours. Any terrorist attack is an act of cowardice, it is an act of murder, it is a barbaric act that violates the fundamental principles of human decency.
On behalf of the Australian Government, I extend our sympathy and condolences to the families and loved ones of those who've lost their lives in this terrorist attack, and our deep concern for those who have been injured. The Australian Government utterly condemns this terrorist attack, an attack that warrants condemnation from all governments around the world and our common resolve that we should work together to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice.
Let me now go to the facts of this matter as best we know them in relation to the two hotel bombings, which have only occurred in Jakarta three or four hours ago. I'm advised that at 7:45am, a bomb was detonated at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, at the Mutiara Restaurant within that hotel, and that the restaurant was significantly damaged. I'm also advised that at around 7:49am, a bomb was detonated at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, at the Airllanga Restaurant within that hotel, and that it too was significantly damaged.
I'm advised that as of 1:30pm this afternoon AEST, that there are some four to six dead and some 18 injured. Just prior to coming to speak to here, Australia's ambassador to Indonesia has told us that the Indonesian national police are now reporting that the number of dead has increased to nine, and around 40 injuries. These figures, of course, will be subject to revision. I'm also advised that as of now, there is one confirmed Australian who is injured, and we have a report of a second Australian injured.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has established a consular crisis centre, with a hotline of 1300 555 135 - 1300 555 135.
The hotline is to answer as best we can the questions of concerned members of the Australian public with family, friends and loved ones in Jakarta. It has been staffed as of 2pm this afternoon AEST and will have its staffing progressively enhanced as events unfold in response to need.
Let me go to the question of the numbers of registered Australians in Indonesia. Currently, there are some 1,053 Australians registered in Jakarta, and a total of some 4,745 Australians registered in Indonesia. As you would be aware, many Australians, both in Indonesia and in other countries abroad, choose not to register. Therefore, the total number of Australians registered in Jakarta and in Indonesia more broadly would be significantly higher than the figures that I have just read.
I have authorised, through the National Security Committee, all agencies of the Australian Government to offer all forms of assistance to the Government of Indonesia in their response to these attacks. The Deputy Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police has been in contact with his counterpart in the Indonesian national police, offering all forms of assistance in forensics, in victim identification, and also in counter-terrorism.
We have also offered all relevant assistance through our health authorities in attending to the needs of any burns victims.
I've spoken, as I indicated before, in the last half hour, to Australia's Ambassador to Indonesia, who advises me that Australian consular staff have been posted to all relevant hospitals in Jakarta to monitor the arrival of Australians or others for whom we have consular responsibility in Indonesia. I have also asked the Ambassador to convey to the Australian community in Jakarta the Government's willingness to provide all forms of practicable support as appropriate.
I've also asked the Ambassador to convey to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and to the President the offers of Australian Government assistance in response to these attacks. I hope to speak to President Yudhoyono as soon as it is practicable for him to do so, given the many tasks for which he is responsible now on the ground in his country.
An emergency taskforce has been located within the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra, as has been the practice in previous terrorist attacks involving Australians abroad. This taskforce brings together all government agencies involved in counter-terrorism relevant to these attacks. That emergency taskforce is now at work.
As I've said repeatedly in recent times, terrorism remains a continuing threat to us all. I'm advised that the travel advisory circulated by the Department of Foreign Affairs as of early this week read as follows, and I quote from it:
“We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the very high threat of terrorist attack. We continue to receive credible information that terrorists could be planning attacks in Indonesia. If you decide to travel to Indonesia, you should exercise extreme caution. Previous terrorist attacks against Westerners in Bali and Jakarta indicate these areas are priority targets. You should take particular care to avoid places known to be terrorist targets.”
The travel advisory goes on to say “the possible targets for terrorist attacks in Indonesia include international hotels.”
The travel advisory, as of this afternoon, has been updated to include information concerning these most recent attacks. Australians again are advised to reconsider their need for travel to Indonesia, including Bali.
These appalling attacks remind us afresh of the fact that terrorism remains a continuing threat to us all. The Government maintains absolute vigilance through its agencies at home and abroad on this threat. The Government will continue to respond to the advice of the National Security Advisor on any further resources and/or actions which may be necessary in the future.
I've been further advised of reports of other explosions in Jakarta this afternoon. We have been unable, as of now, to confirm the nature of these explosions, and we will advise you further on them as further details come to hand.
Let me conclude by saying that these attacks also bring back terrible memories to so many Australians whose lives were so tragically changed by earlier attacks in Bali, Indonesia and elsewhere around the world. Our thoughts are with these, our fellow Australians, at this time as well.
I'm happy to take your questions on this matter.
JOURNALIST: Who do we suspect was responsible for this attack?
PM: The advice that I have from the National Security Committee and the agencies which service it is that this is a terrorist attack. In terms of the terrorist organisation and/or individuals responsible for it, that is currently the subject of work between the agencies. As of when that becomes clearer, then either myself or other ministers of the Government will make a further statement on that.
JOURNALIST: Would it be fair to say that JI is the top suspect?
PM: I can only respond to the advice of the expert agencies who have been analysing this matter. Plainly, terrorist organisations remain a threat to Australians around the world. Plainly, JI remains a threat as well, together with al-Qaeda. That is why over many, many months, and in the period that I've been in office, myself and other ministers have continued to reiterate the continuing threat of terrorism against all Australians.
JOURNALIST: You mentioned before that you had advice there were possible other threats imminent. Are you getting intelligence that this is part of a renewed campaign or a resurgent JI or other terrorist groups in the region?
PM: Is your question in relation to further bombs in Jakarta? On the question of the explosions in Jakarta, later and subsequent to the two bombings which I've referred to in some detail, I'll just reiterate that we are not in the position to confirm any further details about whether they are terrorist attacks or not. It is better that we simply proceed cautiously on that at this stage and in a measured way. As of when we have further information to hand as to whether these explosions are innocuous or not, we'll advise you further.
JOURNALIST: On the broader question of these suspected terrorist attacks this morning, are you getting intelligence that there is a bigger campaign perhaps underway?
PM: Our concern, consistent with the public statements made by the Government over a long period of time, is that the terrorist threat has been a continuing threat for some time. That remains valid as of now, as demonstrated graphically and horrifically by the events in Jakarta this morning, and therefore our vigilance must be maintained.
As I said in my remarks before, the Government will be responding to any further advice from the National Security Advisor about any further actions or resources in response to any further evolution of the threat against Australians at home or abroad.
JOURNALIST: Apart from JI, are you aware of any other organisations within Indonesia capable of an attack like this?
PM: I'd rather not go to the detail of the organisations concerned. I would rather wait for the considered advice of the intelligence community and of our security agencies on this. It is important to be measured in our response to this in terms of the information that we have at hand.
As I think you would all appreciate here, making sure that we make clear everything that can be made clear in the immediate aftermath of an attack which only occurred some four hours or so ago, is a difficult business. Our agencies are currently hard at work and hard at work with their Indonesian counterparts.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) taken responsibility?
PM: To my current information, I am unaware of that. If that changes in any way then of course we will make a further statement concerning that.
JOURNALIST: Both of these hotels are popular with Western business people and in fact we understand that some embassy staff live at the hotels. So does it concern you that it seems to be an attack that's targeting Westerners again?
PM: Well again I would go to the content of our travel advisories and the importance that we attach to those warnings about targets and known targets for terrorists against Westerners in Jakarta and elsewhere.
If you go to the detail of the pre-existing travel advice, it does list a large and long number of potential locations.
You may be familiar with the long and rolling debate about the nature of our travel advisory which, I indicated before, calls upon people to reconsider travel to Indonesia. The fact that that advice has remained constant for such a long period of time reflects the seriousness with which we regard the continuing terrorist threat within Indonesia.
It's been a matter, as you know, of some controversy and public debate and that is why I think our agencies have acted appropriately in providing that continuing advice to the government.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, did the intelligence agencies provide any specific warnings in relation to this attack? I appreciate there has been ongoing chatter but was there any specific warning about this particular attack?
PM: On the, as this has only just occurred I would rather not go to the matters concerning our most immediate intelligence. I would simply go back to what the travel advisories have said. I don't say that for any particular reason other than that it has only been a few hours and I would much rather thoroughly go through everything.
But I draw your attention to the fact again that the language contained within the travel advisory about threats against Australians, Westerners, in Jakarta and in international hotels is not there for idle purpose.
It is there because of what we have deduced over a period of time. And therefore, that is important to bear in mind when people read those travel advisories.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, only a number of days ago there was defence experts making some commentary about Indonesia's success in tackling JI and dismantling some of the cells in Indonesia and they were being lauded for doing so. Is this a wake-up call (inaudible)?
PM: I am unaware of the comments which you have just referred to.
But let me just say more broadly my own continuing view and why I have repeatedly made this point over a long period of time, and that is that the terrorist threat remains alive and well, across the world.
We have been reminded of this in most recent times in terms of actions for example in Mumbai. What we have learned over a period of time is that terrorism is an international phenomenon. It can strike anywhere at any time. And that is why all of our agencies nationally and internationally must be working in the closest possible coordination.
JOURNALIST: Has the Indonesian Government specifically asked for anything in particular from the Australian Government?
PM: I understand that a detailed conversation has occurred between the deputy commissioner of the Australian Federal Police and the Indonesian national police and his counterpart there. In terms of the content, the detailed content of that conversation, I am not apprised.
You will be aware of the fact that there is a long-standing and deep fabric of cooperation between the two police services on forensics, on victim identification and more broadly on counter terrorism, going right back to the appalling events in Bali.
That cooperation continues. We'll have greater clarity on what take-up the Indonesians wish to make of further offers of assistance as the day wears on and into tomorrow. But we on the Australian side are making all levels of physical preparation to make sure that any assets which our friends in Jakarta may want from us are there and are there quick smart.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, (inaudible) the facts of this matter - you have been briefed extensively by the various agencies this morning. You must be getting some preliminary indications about what has happened, and the circumstances surrounding it. Is the preliminary view that this is JI?
PM: I've just come from a long meeting which I convened and with all relevant agencies in attendance, as you would expect. And what we, what I have been advised demonstrably is this is a terrorist attack. You would understand that in the immediate hours following, we are concerned principally and primarily about the security and wellbeing of Australians and those for whom we have consular responsibility.
And as you would see from my remarks before about injured Australians and reports of injuries towards Australians, that has occupied the bulk of our attention, together with what needs to be put immediately in place in terms of identifying through forensics and other key elements of investigatory work who is responsible.
That investigatory work involving forensics is of critical importance, based on my own recollection for example, following the bombing of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta and certainly in the context of Bali. So it is important that we don't get ahead of ourselves. It is important that we establish the facts, and forensic work is critical.
As more comes to light on this we will not be backward in coming forward in providing you, the ladies and gentlemen of the press, and the wider Australian community with our conclusions on this.
But I think it is important to proceed cautiously.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, could you describe for us your immediate thoughts, your reaction to this (inaudible)? What was the first thing that went through your mind?
PM: I was telephoned this morning by my foreign policy adviser, I suppose about three quarters of an hour after this event occurred, and I was sick in the stomach. And I think all Australians would feel sick in the stomach.
This is an assault on all of us and we are dealing with some very ugly people. Very, very ugly people and dangerous.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, one final question on an unrelated matter -
PM: I said I would take questions on this and I would rather just leave it to that today.
Thank you very much.
(Ends)