By Jonathan Head
BBC News, Bangkok
|
Suspicion for the Bali bomb blasts is certain to fall on the
regional Islamic movement, Jemaah Islamiah, which was held
responsible for the earlier blasts on the island nearly three years
ago.
Indonesia's president has vowed to hunt down
the
attackers |
The
huge blasts in 2002 tore the heart out of Bali's tourist industry,
but they also did something else - they woke the Indonesian
government up to the gravity of the threat posed by Islamic
militants.
Until then, the authorities had been reluctant to move against an
extremist fringe for fear of provoking public anger among the
world's largest Muslim population.
But the Indonesian security forces already had good information
about the al-Qaeda linked network known as Jemaah Islamiah (JI).
Security boosted
After the 2002 bombs, with the help of neighbouring countries,
they were quickly able to capture most of those who carried out the
bombings.
They have also brought to justice those behind two subsequent
attacks against a Jakarta hotel in 2003 and the Australian embassy
last year.
Security at major hotels in Bali and Jakarta has now visibly
improved.
JI was dealt another blow when Hambali, the man believed to be
its commander, was caught in Thailand and handed over to the US.
However the Indonesian judicial system has been criticised for
handing down a relatively light sentence against Abu Bakar Ba'asyir,
the movement's spiritual leader.
And in recent weeks the Indonesian government has warned that JI
militants were preparing to attack again.
Now it seems that warning has proved tragically accurate, just as
Bali's tourist industry was getting back on its feet again.