Jakarta Hotel bomb attack-Seven foreigners were killed

JAKARTA, July 18 (Reuters) - Seven foreigners were among those killed in the bomb attacks on two luxury hotels in Indonesia's capital, the Jakarta Post newspaper reported on Saturday, citing a police official. Suicide bombers struck the JW Marriott hotel and close-by Ritz-Carlton, two luxury hotels popular with businessmen and diplomats, in Jakarta's main business district during breakfast. Police on Friday said eight people died, revising down an earlier count of nine, and over 60 were injured. On Saturday it seemed the toll had been raised again to nine, including two suicide bombers.

The blasts are a severe blow for Southeast Asia's biggest economy and for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who was re-elected earlier this month in a landslide victory on the back of restoring peace and strong growth to a country with the world's largest Muslim population. Police won't be drawn on who may be responsible for the blasts, but suspicion has fallen on remnants of Jemaah Islamiah, the militant Islamist group responsible for a string of attacks in Indonesia in the first half of the decade. East Jakarta Police Chief Hasanudin told the English language Jakarta Post that forensic experts were identifying the bodies of seven foreign nationals.
"All were foreigners," Hasanudin told the Post, adding that all were male.Police have not released the names of any of the victims yet.Tim Mackay, chief executive of cement maker Holcim Indonesia and a New Zealand national, was one of several executives attending a CastleAsia Group breakfast at one of the hotels, and was killed in the blast, Holcim said on Friday.



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