Jakarta's Ritz Carlton & JW Marriot new Bombing

[Ananda]

From Jakarta Post

Jakarta hotel blasts were high explosive: Police
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 07/17/2009 1:20 PM | Jakarta

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Nanan Sukarna said preliminary investigations show the fatal explosions that hit Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels were caused by high explosives

"We need further examination to determine whether the bombing was a suicide bombing or another type of bombing," he said.

A Police Bomb Squad (Gegana) officer said the explosions could be positively identified as caused by high explosives based on the impacts. "The explosion in the basement broke glass on the third floor. That is huge," he said.

The explosion at the Marriott hotel was reported to have occurred at 7:47 a.m. at the Restaurant Syailendra in the hotel's basement, only two minutes before the explosion at the Ritz Carlton.

Three Gegana vehicles have left the site carrying debris for further investigation. (bbs)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Currious that this two hotel who should be the most secure to potential bombing threat (due to Manage by same American Chain and only diifered by 500 meters in location), has somehow being peneterated again.

Five years ago, JW marriot had experienced another bombing (larger than this one), and after that, all cars that going to enter the hotel had checked and scrutinized before even entering Hotel yard.
However this bombing, differed by all previous bombing by JI (if this actually proved done by JI) except Bali Bombing 2, that it's not using car bombs.

Indications show somehow they manage to penetereated the hotel and put the bomb in the lobby and restaurant. One of the bomb did not detonated.
It's still unclear whether this'is a suicide bomber or not.

Seems five years lag on any bombing incident could put some security prosedures in the targeted venue to be lacking somewhat.

 

[OPSSG]

My condolences to families of those killed in the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings and I wish those injured a speedy recovery.

Fyi, according to reporting by CNA, 6 of the foreigners injured have been evacuated by air to Singapore, with 2 more due later tonight.

It's still unclear whether this'is a suicide bomber or not.

Seems five years lag on any bombing incident could put some security procedures in the targeted venue to be lacking somewhat.

Initial reports indicate that there were two suicide bombers and that the terrorists had checked into room 1808 of the JW Marriott, two days before the attacks (and assembled the devices in the room).

While the terrorists were able to penetrate hotel security, the fact that there were measures in place, limited the size of the bombs and thus limiting the number of casualties.

Bombings in Indonesia in recent years

2000
Aug. 1 : Two killed and Philippine ambassador wounded in a blast outside his Jakarta home.
Sept. 13 : Blast at Jakarta stock exchange kills 15 and wounds dozens.
Dec. 24 : Series of Christmas Eve blasts at Jakarta churches and elsewhere in the country kill 17 and wound about 100.

2002
Oct. 12 : Blasts on tourist island Bali kill 202, many of them foreign tourists, including 88 Australians.
Dec. 5 : Blast in McDonald’s restaurant in Makassar kills three.

2003
Aug. 5 : Bomb outside JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta kills 12, wounding 150.

2004
Jan. 10 : Bomb kills four in a karaoke cafe in Palopo.
Sept. 9 : Bomb near the Australian embassy kills 10, wounds more than 100.
Nov. 13 : Explosion near a police station in Sulawesi kills five and wounds four.

2005
May 28 : Two bombs rip through a market in Tentena, killing 22.
Oct. 2 : Suicide bombers in Bali kill 20 people, including foreign tourists, wounding more than 100.

2009
July 17 : Bomb blasts at JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels

'While there had been no apparent warning of the attacks in the intelligence community...' Australian defence and strategic policy think-tank ASPI warned less than 24 hours before Friday's twin bomb blasts that radical elements of the group Jemaah Islamiyah, behind the 2002 Bali blasts that killed 202 people, were set to strike again.

'The hardline group is fully supported by a group of young, dedicated individuals who share a deep commitment to the cause, advocating al-Qaeda-style attacks that directly target Westerners,' ASPI warned in a briefing Thursday.'

 

[Ananda]

Neglegence Hotel Security

The detail still unfolding, however from initial report, and from sources in Police show that the two hotel wich one of them already have been bombed 5 years before, show an abyssmall security procedures and implementations.

The bombers actually checked in in the JW Marriot three days before bombing occured (in Tuesday the 13th), Pay cash in advance (with USD), and told the hotel house keeping not to come to their room, and only come when they're in the room.

There're several other incidents that suposedly raise suspiscions from the hotel securities, but no action been taken. JW Marriot and other five star + hotels in Jakarta have direct lines to Polices Anti Terorist unit, and under obligations to report periodically for any suspicious activity near or in the hotel area.
No suspicions been allerted to the anti terorist unit on the matter.

Initial findings show that the matter of this bombers checked in to the hotel in already very unussual for guests checking in the 5 star + hotels with kind of classes of Ritz Carlton or JW Marriot.
Paying cash in advances should put the hotel for more through background checking by themselves or allerted the authorities (which they supposedly did).

This two hotels should legally being sued, since more and more avidance show this act of terror actually could be done due to their negligence.
The management of Ritz Carlton and JW Marriot should answered for this. Afterall the level and standard of their Jakarta chains should follow their global security standard, which seems did not happend on their hotels in Jakarta.

This is not like previous bombing in Jakarta, or hotels attacked in Mumbai and Islamabad, where the bombers done their attack from outside. This's being done from within.
How they can manage to assembled 3 bomb (only 2 detoneted) in 3 days in their room, with materials being smuggled in the hotel seperately, clearly show again an abissmall or STUPID security in this supposedly International 5 star hotels.

 

[riksavage]

The detail still unfolding, however from initial report, and from sources in Police show that the two hotel wich one of them already have been bombed 5 years before, show an abyssmall security procedures and implementations.

The bombers actually checked in in the JW Marriot three days before bombing occured (in Tuesday the 13th), Pay cash in advance (with USD), and told the hotel house keeping not to come to their room, and only come when they're in the room.

There're several other incidents that suposedly raise suspiscions from the hotel securities, but no action been taken. JW Marriot and other five star + hotels in Jakarta have direct lines to Polices Anti Terorist unit, and under obligations to report periodically for any suspicious activity near or in the hotel area.
No suspicions been allerted to the anti terorist unit on the matter.

Initial findings show that the matter of this bombers checked in to the hotel in already very unussual for guests checking in the 5 star + hotels with kind of classes of Ritz Carlton or JW Marriot.
Paying cash in advances should put the hotel for more through background checking by themselves or allerted the authorities (which they supposedly did).

This two hotels should legally being sued, since more and more avidance show this act of terror actually could be done due to their negligence.
The management of Ritz Carlton and JW Marriot should answered for this. Afterall the level and standard of their Jakarta chains should follow their global security standard, which seems did not happend on their hotels in Jakarta.

This is not like previous bombing in Jakarta, or hotels attacked in Mumbai and Islamabad, where the bombers done their attack from outside. This's being done from within.
How they can manage to assembled 3 bomb (only 2 detoneted) in 3 days in their room, with materials being smuggled in the hotel seperately, clearly show again an abissmall or STUPID security in this supposedly International 5 star hotels.

The Marriott hotel group corporate security is a very proactive organisation. Just look at the design of the Ritz, which was built from day one to mitigate the threat posed by vehicle borne IED’s following the first attack on the Marriott. What we have to remember is the hospitality industry primary focus is facilitating legitimate users to enter the hotel without suffering a fortress mentality. Jakarta is not Baghdad, if you start introducing measures, which are too intrusive you will deter custom. The critical issue is training, unfortunately very few hotels have extensive predictive profile programmes in place, and staff turnover tends to be high Having stayed at both the Ritz and JW in Jakarta I deem the physical measures adequate, the weak link is ensuring the continued diligence of the contracted security personnel manning the outer access points, whether commercial guards or pre-mob.

 

[OPSSG]

The detail still unfolding, however from initial report, and from sources in Police show that the two hotel which one of them already have been bombed 5 years before, show an abysmal security procedures and implementations.

I can understand your anger that this has happened again but unfortunately, terrorism is an 'entrepreneurial activity', where the terrorists continuously seek to innovate against current security precautions. IMO, radical terror attacks in Indonesia would not end until the radicals, like the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) accepts that they are beaten and their ideology is not accepted (this would need to include dealing JI's profitable publication industry). Or to put it in other words, stopping terrorist violence means stopping the violent people like the JI.

The bombers actually checked in in the JW Marriott three days before bombing occurred (in Tuesday the 13th), Pay cash in advance (with USD), and told the hotel house keeping not to come to their room, and only come when they're in the room.

As I understand it, most hotels will ask for some form of personal identification, in the form of travel documents from a hotel guest. If a valid identification is furnished by the guest, that fact that the terrorists chose to pay in cash is mainly a mode of payment issue. While payment in cash is not usual, it is also not unheard of.

There are several other incidents that supposedly raise suspicions from the hotel securities, but no action been taken. JW Marriott and other five star + hotels in Jakarta have direct lines to Polices Anti Terrorist unit, and under obligations to report periodically for any suspicious activity near or in the hotel area.

No suspicions been alerted to the anti terrorist unit on the matter.

For that matter, the Jakarta authorities did not tell the hotels to be on heightened alert, which tells us that this development of terrorists checking in as guests was unexpected.

Initial findings show that the matter of this bombers checked in to the hotel in already very unusual for guests checking in the 5 star + hotels with kind of classes of Ritz Carlton or JW Marriott.

Paying cash in advances should put the hotel for more through background checking by themselves or alerted the authorities (which they supposedly did).

riksavage has replied on the issue of training and the issue of predictive profile programmes. Taken at its crudest, profiling against certain 'riskier' guests, means subjecting these guests to more checks and slower check-ins. Since the terrorists are likely to be locals, you are in effect suggesting that the hotels to profile against locals, which cannot be good corporate policy for the Ritz Carlton or JW Marriott to engage in unless there is specific intelligence of heightened risk.

This two hotels should legally being sued, since more and more avoidance show this act of terror actually could be done due to their negligence.

It is clear that the security measures were inadequate to prevent the attack. However, it is another to suggest negligence when the plans of the terrorists was defeat the hotel's security measures by design. This is because culpable negligence usually has a specific meaning in common law systems. I will not attempt to elaborate on negligence under Indonesian civil law due to my limited knowledge of Indonesia's legal system.

The management of Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott should answered for this. After all the level and standard of their Jakarta chains should follow their global security standard, which seems did not happen on their hotels in Jakarta.

Yes, the hotels certainly will pay a price (in terms of their reputation) for their failure to stop the terrorists. As such, the hotel management would have wanted to prevent it.

How they can manage to assembled 3 bomb (only 2 detonated) in 3 days in their room, with materials being smuggled in the hotel separately, clearly show again an abysmal or STUPID security in this supposedly International 5 star hotels.

Hotel security are not trained as IED or bomb experts and hence it is hard for these frontline staff to recognize parts of disassembled bomb making materials deliberately hidden and disguised as incongruous objects in the luggage. It is now clear that metal detectors by themselves are not sufficient as security measures and the hotel industry will be forced to upgrade their bomb detection tools for their frontline staff.

Once the hotels upgrade their preventive measures, the terrorists will just simply move onto softer targets like popular restaurants and shopping arcades (frequented by Westerners), which are just as vulnerable.

 

[Marc 1]

Ananda, I understand your anger, but when it comes to terrorism I am reminded of an exchange between an english chief of security boasting about his forces success in preventing IRA bombs. The IRA reply was along the lines of I only have to get one bomb through to achieve my aim, it doesn't matter that you detect 99 of the others.

The odds of security forces being able to stop all bombings are pretty slim - really the aim is to make it difficult enough for the bombers that they will decide to go elsewhere. As OPSSG has pointed out restaurants and bars where they cannot afford that type of sophisticated security make easier targets.

 

[danu]

again and again....

I am shocked, when i saw on tv that recently Jakarta was attacked by the terrorist, while Manchaster United come, and the latest news said they aborted their exhibition match in Jakarta.
I think The bombers want to make unstabilized politic situation in Indonesia.....
And I want to ask for everybody... is There any actors beside Jemaah Islamiyah???? what is the relation between J.W Marriots & Ritz Carlton bomb blast with M.U, and Election in Indonesia????
what happen to Indonesian Intelligence Bureau, where are they??what they doing?

 

[StevoJH]

I saw on the news earlier that they found another Bomb in Jakarta, thankfully before it went off.

 

[OPSSG]

I am shocked, when i saw on tv that recently Jakarta was attacked by the terrorist, while Manchaster United come, and the latest news said they aborted their exhibition match in Jakarta.

I think we are all shocked that the terrorists have penetrated the hotel security. This was a small but meticulous operation. Indeed, one suspect is thought to have worked as a florist in one of the hotels.

As more details emerge, reports suggest that there were a number of serious hotel security lapses (which is what made Ananda angry), including bomb detection equipment that was not working, screening procedures that were ineffective and the failure of the front desk to make a copy of the identification document of the suicide bomber who checked into JW Marriot.

I think The bombers want to make unstabilized politic situation in Indonesia.....

I don't think the bombers will succeed in destabilizing the newly elected government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (or SBY as he is popularly known). If anything the bombings will strengthen the hand of SBY in dealing with the members of JI.

In fact, this week Indonesian authorities took into custody two individuals:

(i) a would be suicide bomber who, according to police officials, admitted to have been recruited by Noordin Mohammed Top (a Malaysian national, who has been a fugitive in Indonesia) as a suicide bomber; and

(ii) Arina Rochmah, a 25-year old woman, allegedly Noordin’s third wife. It was at her father’s madrassah that police raided two weeks ago in Cilacap. There, police discovered a bomb that was identical to the ones used in the July 17 bombings in Jakarta.​

And I want to ask for everybody... is There any actors beside Jemaah Islamiyah???? what is the relation between J.W Marriots & Ritz Carlton bomb blast with M.U, and Election in Indonesia????

The bombs found so far, bear the hall mark of the work of Noordin Mohammed Top's organisation, the Tanzim Qaedat al-Jihad.

The key question is: Does Noordin Mohammed Top run his own organization, separate from JI?

The answer: To say that the Tanzim Qaedat al-Jihad is completely separate from JI is a fallacy. Noordin relies on JI networks and JI-linked madrassas for support. While some JI members may disagree with Noordin, no one has ever turned him in. Indeed one of the alleged suicide bombers was once again, a graduate of Al Mukmin, founded by Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Bashir, JI’s founders and spiritual leaders.

When interviewed this week, Abu Bakar Bashir said:

(i) "The main cause of this disaster (the bombings) is the Indonesian government, which undermines the supremacy of Islamic law. This (terror) will not end until the government follows the right path."

(ii) "There are no Muslim terrorists. The terrorists are the CIA, the Americans and the Australians. They're the ones who terrorise Muslims."​

what happen to Indonesian Intelligence Bureau, where are they??what they doing?

I wouldn't be so harsh on BIN (Indonesia's Intelligence Bureau), especially since there is no political will in Indonesia to stop Abu Bakar Bashir's 'missionary work' for the JI, fund-raising for JI and the JI's profitable publication industry.

Kindly note that until last week, there had not been a bombing in Indonesia since 2005. Let's look back at the terror attacks that were averted prior to the latest attack. In November 2005, Indonesian police killed JI bombmaker Dr. Azahari and captured his entire cache of more than 20 bombs. In two separate March 2007 raids and a mid-2008 raid netted huge caches of explosives. More importantly was the foiled plot in July 2008 to bomb a tourist bar in Pekanbaru. Police recovered 22 explosive devices packed with bullets. JI as a regional organisation is down (with the recent re-arrest of Mas Selamat bin Kastari in Malaysia, after escaping from Singapore in February 2008), but it is not out.

As Marc 1 point out earlier, JI only have to get one to two bombs through to achieve their aim. In the days ahead more attacks instigated by the JI are likely.

 

[Ananda]

As I understand it, most hotels will ask for some form of personal identification, in the form of travel documents from a hotel guest. If a valid identification is furnished by the guest, that fact that the terrorists chose to pay in cash is mainly a mode of payment issue. While payment in cash is not usual, it is also not unheard of.

For that matter, the Jakarta authorities did not tell the hotels to be on heightened alert, which tells us that this development of terrorists checking in as guests was unexpected.

OPSSG, my earlier comments by no means try to sideways the responsibilities from The securities apparatus in here. Probably their focus being sidetracked with recent securities measures they have to take due to the ellections. The Anti Terror Squad show they still have the lead on the group, but probbaly under impression the groups were under such pressured that no immidiate threat comming. They're wrong off course.

However it did not sheed the questions from JW & Ritz security standard. In short the majority of foreign official dignitaries that come to Jakarta (in the grade of minister above) more comfortable to stay with the like's of Four Seasons or Shangrilla. Heard from several embassy staff, indicated they're quite uncomfortable with the way JW & Ritz guest checking procedures.
More this bombing indicated being not a random one. The two bombers directly went to room or sections where two meeting conducted by one (in JW) of multinationals country head in infrastructures (like Holcim), while the other in Ritz was meeting of Multinationals country head in mining (like Freeport).

CCTV and witness told that the bombers actually went by large group of western tourists in the lobby or other sections of restaurant, and if they want to attack just western tourists, then the bomb probabbly blow up in more crowded area.
This show that the two hotels had been probably being scout for several occasion. The indication also show that the terorist cell probably had check in as guests before (off course use different persons), to check the posssibility on assembling the devices in the room they stay, or smuggling the devices for assembling several times.

That's why personally i'm quite pissed with those two hotels.

Since the terrorists are likely to be locals, you are in effect suggesting that the hotels to profile against locals, which cannot be good corporate policy for the Ritz Carlton or JW Marriott to engage in unless there is specific intelligence of heightened risk.

Well actually many five stars hotels and upscale malls already profilling locals, the questions seems from latest news, there're good possibilities the bombers (at leats one of them) are not locals or simply put possible foreign national. This show they should not only proffiling locals, but foreign also. Not good policies for 5 star + hotels, but they should do it anyway.

Hotel security are not trained as IED or bomb experts and hence it is hard for these frontline staff to recognize parts of disassembled bomb making materials deliberately hidden and disguised as incongruous objects in the luggage. It is now clear that metal detectors by themselves are not sufficient as security measures and the hotel industry will be forced to upgrade their bomb detection tools for their frontline staff.

Your're right but they are trained or should be trained on tracking pottentials suspicious or out of ordinarry guest behaviours. Like I say, paying cash in advance although allowed but for 5 stars+ hotels in Jakarta quite uncommon. Especially when they check in with locals name, but pay with USD.
Indonesia Rupiah, not a very strong currencies, but localls still use it for transactions, and very rare used cash USD. The locals that pay in USD cash for checking in the hotels was simply not a norm. This should put them on further checking. Also they're seldom left the rooms (from hotels staff witnesses), also not a norm.

Once the hotels upgrade their preventive measures, the terrorists will just simply move onto softer targets like popular restaurants and shopping arcades (frequented by Westerners), which are just as vulnerable.

True, but the terorists also know the security before this bombing are quite trained for possible bomb attacks from outside. But again that's the problem, they're trained with assumption the danger coming from outside, not from within as this latest bombing show.
Assembling bombs in malls or restaurants will be more difficult from assembling in privacy of hotel room.

Well hopefully SBY wich just getting more political support in his second term, and also possible more backers in the next parlement were more darring in handling possible groups which politically sensitive.
Seems though before the bombing he's more suspicious with this one particullar ex general that run as Megawati Vice President.

Well he's Soeharto's son in law and he's got quite nasty reputations. I don't blame SBY if his attentions quite distracted from possible terorists cell due to political move of this certain ex general.

 

[Marc 1]

Ananda, I have spent years in the hospitality industry - hotels in particular. Guests of 4 and 5 star hotels would probably not stand for a higher level of security than that already at the two hotels.

As to your comment about the bombers being allowed to walk right past wester tourists in the lobby and public areas, to exclude perfectly innocent hotel guests that look like they may be locals is a form of racism that I for one would not tolerate if I were an Indonesian guest (or Malay/Thai etc). If I am booked into a fancy hotel I would expect to be treated the same as any guest. To do otherwise will just seed resentment in the local businesspeople and may in fact end up assisting the bombers cause.

Really, the failure is in not detecting the threat before it even left the bombmakers home and got to the hotel/bar/tourist area. This is something that the Indonesian security services should be looking to achieve for the future. Cutting off the threat at its source is easier than clamping security onto any wester business or area that receives western tourists.

 

[Ananda]

As to your comment about the bombers being allowed to walk right past wester tourists in the lobby and public areas, to exclude perfectly innocent hotel guests that look like they may be locals is a form of racism that I for one would not tolerate if I were an Indonesian guest (or Malay/Thai etc). If I am booked into a fancy hotel I would expect to be treated the same as any guest. To do otherwise will just seed resentment in the local businesspeople and may in fact end up assisting the bombers cause.

Marc, My comment on the bombers walk through western tourist..actually highlight that the bombers not just targeting random tourists..but went direct to spesific gathering/meeting conducted by specific multinationals country head in Jakarta.
In such the bombers actually had knowledge of the meeting, had known the specific timing, and know how to get into the meeting place.
That show that JW & Ritz have been penetrated before. Again the info in several publications in Jakarta show that this bombing hard to be conducted unless there's internal help for the bombers.

In fact the bomber that went through underground tunnel from JW to Ritz suspected from CCTV used hotel florists uniform (this still under investigations since its base on the CCTV images only).

Profilling now only (by actual in field) being done only to locals. Again one on the bomber show according to the police findings a disctingtively non indonesian features. Again I only highlighted, proffiling was never good for business, but if you must do, and do it smartly and not only being specific on one race. The fact is the profilling by high end hotels in Jakarta in fact did through Racial Profilling. This off course will be denied by them, but we locals knows that, especially to the hotels or places that regularly used by Foreign tourists and Expats. This racial profilling was long being known by the terorist cells, and used smartly by them.

Again I never had intention to sheld the responsibility from Indonesia Securities or more precissely from Anti Terror unit. However I just put in light that big part of this tragedy also happened due to lack internal security standard by the hotels themselves.
Please find the terror activities in the world, and you can see that only small minority of them conducted from inside. The latest bombing in JW and Ritz were by fact conducted from inside, the bomb assembly in the privacy of hotel room, and strong indications insider help were provided.
This was the responsibility of internal security.

Just add from Tempo Weekly magazines today, (Tempo btw is one of the most respected weekly publishing in Indonesia). show some ofthe internal security weakneses in JW & Ritz;
- All the Bomb detectors/VTD or Vapor & Trace Detector have not been fuctioned for some time, and the management has not responded for the need to repace them.
- The number of CCTV much below the 5 star standard. In fact many rooms corridor ware not covered by CCTV.
- The standard in 5 star in Jakarta, show that any rooms that have don't distrub sign more than 6 hours after 6 o'clock in the morning should be checked. However in JW, the bombers stay in the room for more than two days, without any checking from hotel management.
- Any manual training for know how on explosive, body checking, guest checking, guest survailances, counter survailences, etc that's been provided and trained by US Embassy and Anti Terror Squad before were not being implemented anymore.
And other several loop holes that being 'neglectedly' done by Hotel management.

In short this show that both JW & Ritz in Jakarta show an abysmall internal security procedures, especially for 5 star Hotels or Hotel that being targetted before by terrorist.

 

[OPSSG]

Again I never had intention to shield the responsibility from Indonesia Securities or more precisely from Anti Terror unit. However I just put in light that big part of this tragedy also happened due to lack internal security standard by the hotels themselves.

Please find the terror activities in the world, and you can see that only small minority of them conducted from inside. The latest bombing in JW and Ritz were by fact conducted from inside, the bomb assembly in the privacy of hotel room, and strong indications insider help were provided.
This was the responsibility of internal security.

JI has moved to using smaller explosives and are focusing on places where people gather, like a hotel lobby or a restaurant.

The Indonesian government’s crackdown on JI means that the Indonesian militants simply do not have the external funding and freedom of action they had before. I suspect that the July 17 Jakarta attack was conducted at a very low cost (compared to the cost required to acquire hundreds of pounds of explosives used in the large VBIED attacks of the past).

Just add from Tempo Weekly magazines today, (Tempo btw is one of the most respected weekly publishing in Indonesia). show some of the internal security weaknesses in JW & Ritz;
- All the Bomb detectors/VTD or Vapor & Trace Detector have not been functioned for some time, and the management has not responded for the need to replace them.
- The number of CCTV much below the 5 star standard. In fact many rooms corridor ware not covered by CCTV.
- The standard in 5 star in Jakarta, show that any rooms that have don't disturb sign more than 6 hours after 6 o'clock in the morning should be checked. However in JW, the bombers stay in the room for more than two days, without any checking from hotel management.
- Any manual training for know how on explosive, body checking, guest checking, guest surveillance, counter surveillance, etc that's been provided and trained by US Embassy and Anti Terror Squad before were not being implemented anymore.
And other several loop holes that being 'neglectedly' done by Hotel management.

Ananda, just want to say thanks for the update on the latest details released.

I was aware that the Vapor Trace Detector (VTD) was not working but not some of the other details. Even if the VTD was working, not all bags at these hotels were being screened, which meant that there was a loop hole in the security procedures. From the standpoint of security, the challenges of balancing security with guest comfort and customer service at large hotels will continue to be a vexing problem. We need both the right equipment and the right procedures.

IMO, the suicide bomber has become a 'smart' munition that can work its way through gaps in security and even react to changes in the plan. Evidently, there was a glitch in the bomb in the hotel room that resulted in it not going off. If the bomb in the hotel room had gone off, it would have driven the evacuating hotel guests straight into the suicide bomber waiting in the lobby. In the July 17 Jakarta attacks, the suicide bombers reacted to changes in their prior plans and acted to evade security measures. The sad fact is that the problem of the suicide bomber is a condition to be mitigated, not a problem to be solved.

In short this show that both JW & Ritz in Jakarta show an abysmal internal security procedures, especially for 5 star Hotels or Hotel that being targeted before by terrorist.

We all need to learn and adapt to the changed security environment to avoid a further recurrence. In other words much more effort will be made to implement proactive security measures, to focus more on the training of hotel staff and the identifying potential attackers via counter intelligence and other efforts (not just the reactive measures like ensuring that the VTDs work). Even in Singapore, we need to change our security procedures on the basis of what has happened in Jakarta - that is why we involve our hotels and shopping malls in our regularly conducted Ex Northstar.

 

[Ananda]

I was aware that the Vapor Trace Detector (VTD) was not working but not some of the other details. Even if the VTD was working, not all bags at these hotels were being screened, which meant that there was a loop hole in the security procedures. From the standpoint of security, the challenges of balancing security with guest comfort and customer service at large hotels will continue to be a vexing problem. We need both the right equipment and the right procedures.

I'm highliting your comment because I agree for hospitality industries this is the biggest challange. Some isues that's being checked now was that possibility this lattest attacked has been prepared not in months but perhaps years ahead. One indications show that one of the suspected insider was moved to JW from other five star hotel couple years ago, and he left his relatively more secured job in the other hotel for less paid and less secure job in JW. In short he become sleeper cell in the intended target.
Why JW or Ritz ? that's the questions being asked in here, possibility other sleeper cell in other hotels, but it is stipulated that the cells decide to attack JW again due to their perception (and I must say correctly) that JW internal security by that time considered more lacked compared to other simmilar class hotels.

The hotels were not implemented what they have trained before clearly show that the management and perhaps the owners of the two hotels prefered downgrading their security stardard for guests comfort,
However if the sources from magazines like Tempo's right, than the two hotels security standard were downgraded much lower than other 5 stars hotels in Jakarta. This's that really anger some publics in here including me.

IMO, the suicide bomber has become a 'smart' munition that can work its way through gaps in security and even react to changes in the plan. Evidently, there was a glitch in the bomb in the hotel room that resulted in it not going off. If the bomb in the hotel room had gone off, it would have driven the evacuating hotel guests straight into the suicide bomber waiting in the lobby. In the July 17 Jakarta attacks, the suicide bombers reacted to changes in their prior plans and acted to evade security measures. The sad fact is that the problem of the suicide bomber is a condition to be mitigated, not a problem to be solved.

That's open speculations on if the bomb in the hotel's 1808 room did blow up first than the bombers will wait in the lobby on the conffussions to atttacked the hotel guests that trying to evacuated the hotels.
However other speculations also mentioned that if the bomb in the room blow up first than the existing people in the lobby will be rushed out to make room for other guest to evacuated. Thus the bombers perhaps has to be off the lobby, which perhaps reduce the chances on the atttacked.
Therefor it's also speculated that if the early bomb went off, then all those multinationals country heads in the meeting will be rushed out and the bombers can attacked them more eassily. As it happens due to bomb in the room has not went off, then the bombers can only went into the entrance of the meeting room before blowing him up. Thus reduce potential victims.

But saddly you're right. Nobody now has the right remedy on how to stop the suicides bombers other than increasing security, intelegence gathering, than continue craking down the cells.
Hope those managements in the hotels and other soft targets now incresingly realise that continue vigilance and maintaned security standard helps thward potentials attacks. Loop holes on security standard only increased the potenttials.
JI in the cornered now, and not having much resources to do large scale attack. But they show continues ability on conducting counter intilegence game, which enable them to conducted attack even with much less resources.

Well I'm just wish this also become a leasons for political elites in here, that continues political wrangling especially on the eve of the ellections only diverted out the security focussed from potentials terorist cells.

 

[Marc 1]

I'm highliting your comment because I agree for hospitality industries this is the biggest challange. Some isues that's being checked now was that possibility this lattest attacked has been prepared not in months but perhaps years ahead. One indications show that one of the suspected insider was moved to JW from other five star hotel couple years ago, and he left his relatively more secured job in the other hotel for less paid and less secure job in JW. In short he become sleeper cell in the intended target.
Why JW or Ritz ? that's the questions being asked in here, possibility other sleeper cell in other hotels, but it is stipulated that the cells decide to attack JW again due to their perception (and I must say correctly) that JW internal security by that time considered more lacked compared to other simmilar class hotels.

I'd say the reason theys two properties were attacked was that they are American owned and therefore where you may expect Americans and their allies to be meeting. Even if the security was much tougher, they'd still target an American hotel and the more stars the better. No real point in attacking an Accor hotel or a Euopean brand, when you attack the proudly american Marriot or Ritz, you can be sure people around the world are getting the message that the attack was directed at American interests.

 

[Ananda]

I'd say the reason theys two properties were attacked was that they are American owned and therefore where you may expect Americans and their allies to be meeting. Even if the security was much tougher, they'd still target an American hotel and the more stars the better. No real point in attacking an Accor hotel or a Euopean brand, when you attack the proudly american Marriot or Ritz, you can be sure people around the world are getting the message that the attack was directed at American interests.

Well Marc, more and more reasons for those two hotels on never let their guard down. What I'm saying from my previous comments, that those two hotels did let their guard down.
In short, they've assume all the possible attacks comming from outside by cars or other mode of transportations, thus they streghthen their hotel on that possibility, but they let their internal security down.

Something which after the first bombing, when they have been trained by US embassy and anti terror unit, on also taking in to considerations for possible soft penetrations into their internal surounding (in which actually happen).

I'm glad that from OPSSG comment that Singaporean's Hotels has taking into account on what's hapened in Jakarta as possible changes tactics from the cells. I believe now all the hotels in Jakarta also taking that into accounts.

What I'm saying in here, it's very dangerous to let your internal security down, just because things in the outside seems calming down. I agree with OPSSG, that potentials for JI to conducts large scale car bombing is becoming less and less possible due to their dwindling resources from continues persecutions. However even with their dwindling resources they show that they still can conducted attack, by exploting the intended target internal security weaknesses.

I believe even in US now after 9-11, even after Al Qaidah continues persecutions, the security still in high allert mode.
As American brand hotels, those two hotels should never downgrade their allertness, but base on the findings so far, they did.

Afterall one can wonders, why Grand Hyatt, Sheraton, (another american brand) or Four Seasons (granted Canadian but still north american with large US expats guests) were not exploited as targets. Again this indicated the cells knows which American hotels were potentially softer as targets.

 

[OPSSG]

It's a sad reflection of the era we live in, where the effects of terror is an issue we can only aim to mitigate. With terrorists targeting soft targets, if we focus ONLY on one particular area, they will just attack another.

Sigh...

...I'm glad that from OPSSG comment that Singaporean's Hotels has taking into account on what's happened in Jakarta as possible changes tactics from the cells. I believe now all the hotels in Jakarta also taking that into accounts.

What I'm saying in here, it's very dangerous to let your internal security down, just because things in the outside seems calming down...

BTW, Singapore hotels have even greater physical limitations in the security measures that they can adopt (please don't ask me to specify what they are). IMO, there is a limit to what the hotel industry can do. However, we as consumers and customers of hotels/restaurants need to develop an eye for detail and train ourselves to acquire better situational awareness each time we check into a hotel, go to a restaurant, go shopping or such other public place that may be a terrorist target.

I remember being invited to a restaurant in a Western country (that I shall not name) and my host insisted that we sit in a certain table location. I asked why we wouldn't want to sit in a position with a good view of the street (that was initially offered to us by the waiter). My host explained that there had been a number of incidents of gang related shootings in the past year and it was best not to sit at certain tables in case it happens again. Therefore regardless of whether the danger is from terrorists or gangs, there is no substitute for us to learn NOT to take things for granted and acquire just a little more situational awareness each time we go out.

 

[OPSSG]

According to the Jakarta Globe and the Associated Press, Police hunting for terror suspect Noordin Mohammad Top surrounded a house in central Indonesia and were exchanging gunfire with suspected militants holed up inside it. The owner of the house, Mohdari, was the first to be arrested, just after Friday prayers. "At around 3 p.m. we arrested two other suspects, Indra and Aris, who also lived at the house," the source for the Jakarta Globe said. Shots rang out when police began to move on the house near rice fields in Beji hamlet in the Kedu sub-district of Temanggung, Central Java just after 4 p.m. In a further development, The Straits Times reports that Noordin Top, the mastermind of last month's Jakarta hotel bombings, is believed to have been killed by police in a shootout, according to a local media report last night.

If you are interested in a more in-depth look at how Noordin Top and his group financed the Jakarta hotel bombings, please see the 24 July 2009 report (8 pages) by International Crisis Group on the 17 July 2009 Jakarta hotel bombings.

Ananda or any other Indonesian forum member, please let us know if there are any updates in your local media.

I'm glad that from OPSSG comment that Singaporean's Hotels has taking into account on what's happened in Jakarta as possible changes tactics from the cells. I believe now all the hotels in Jakarta also taking that into accounts.

Following from the Jakarta Bombings (and the lessons learnt), later this month, the Singapore government, in consultation with the hotel industry will be releasing a updated Technical Reference for Security Management System for Hotels which was first established in 2005 (TR 21:2005).

In related developments to improve security to mitigate risk, the Singapore police will double the head count of the former Police MRT Unit to approximately 400 men. This transportation police unit will have their scope of patrolling duties increased from the MRT train stations to also include bus services and the relevant bus interchanges. The Police Coast Guard (PCG) is also in the process of acquiring a new fleet of 10 Shark Class patrol boats (3 of these boats have been delivered) at the cost of S$170 million. Along with these new patrol boats, the government spent another S$29 million to build a new PCG Integrated Tactical Training Centre, which includes new simulators to allow PCG officers to conduct high-risk training which cannot be practised at sea. The Shark Class vessels will be equipped with a Typhoon MK 25 II 25mm gun - which is controlled remotely in the vessel's bridge. And it is able to hit a target 2.7km away.

 

[Ananda]

[

According to the Jakarta Globe and the Associated Press, Police hunting for terror suspect Noordin Mohammad Top surrounded a house in central Indonesia and were exchanging gunfire with suspected militants holed up inside it. The owner of the house, Mohdari, was the first to be arrested, just after Friday prayers. "At around 3 p.m. we arrested two other suspects, Indra and Aris, who also lived at the house," the source for the Jakarta Globe said. Shots rang out when police began to move on the house near rice fields in Beji hamlet in the Kedu sub-district of Temanggung, Central Java just after 4 p.m. In a further development, The Straits Times reports that Noordin Top, the mastermind of last month's Jakarta hotel bombings, is believed to have been killed by police in a shootout, according to a local media report last night.

If you are interested in a more in-depth look at how Noordin Top and his group financed the Jakarta hotel bombings, please see the 24 July 2009 report (8 pages) by International Crisis Group on the 17 July 2009 Jakarta hotel bombings.

Ananda or any other Indonesian forum member, please let us know if there are any updates in your local media.

Seems it's semi-official that the terorist suspect in Temanggung Central Java (the one that's died after 17 hours shoot out) is not Noordin M Top. THe genetic test are not finished yet, but from the genetic materials from Noordin's son, or from his Family in Malaysia, indicated this is not Noordin.

Still since this operations run parralel with the raid that conviscated 800 kg of explosives materals on Jakarta suburb, this still quite a coup for the Anti Teror Unit.

The raid in Jakarta suburb more shooking since it's also conviscated the Pick-Up that being prepared and wired as car bomb.
Since the cells still try to do the same tactics, although unconfirmed report indicated their acquisition of that particullar pick-up which provide one of big lead to uncovered the house in Jakarta's subburb in which they prepared the explosives.

Again Car Bomb tactics did open their weaknesses, since now the anti teror unit seems follow any unussual car acquisitions.
Luckily, the cells although actives, but continue under pressures.

Edit 13th August:
It's Official the terorist suspect that's being died after the raid in Central Java was not Noordin Top, but Ibrohim, which actually Noordin right hand mand in orchestrating and implemented latest bombing in JW and Ritz.

 

[OPSSG]

There's a 2005 Australian TV documentary called 'Inside Indonesia's War on Terror'. This documentary makes some very disturbing allegations that is worth watching.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1WSl4EsERk]Part 1[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRjmLplJLl0]Part 2[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDcXkFToDd0]Part 3[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWGM4TbQ8j8]Part 4[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eE7IUcpRRo]Part 5[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjCUnSqPXVM]Part 6[/ame]