The relatively quiet Friday morning broke off when the bombings, little more than a week after the country's peaceful presidential election, devastated the lobby restaurants at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, signaling the return of terrorism to the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation after four years without a major attack. The bombings brought swift condemnation from world leaders and the United Nations.
The attack is another reminder to us and the region as a whole that peace, security and order are part of a continuing process. It acquires international dimensions in which Indonesia needs to cooperate with other countries in combating terrorism.
It is certainly not anything that should be politicized. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was heavily criticized by his rivals when he suggested a possible link between the bombings and the election that is expected to hand him another five-year term as president.
The bombings have not been claimed yet by any group, nor is the motive known. Friday's blasts may or may not be an indicator of renewed militant strength. But because suspicion of responsibility for the attacks, as well as for past attacks in Indonesia, has already fallen on the Southeast Asian Islamist militant group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), officials here needed to brace for that possibility.
The bombings undermined the security of the entire nation and raise doubt as to whether the government is going all out to protect its people from terrorist attacks.
Theoretically, the operation was a success, as one that two of the most secure hotels in Jakarta was penetrated by terrorists, who even set up an "operation room" in one of the hotels, and bombs set off at about the same time.
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