Arroyo deplores terror attack in Indonesia

MANILA - The Philippines joined the rest of the world in condemning the deadly bombings at two hotels in the Indonesian capital which killed at least nine people.

The Philippines, hit by a series of deadly bomb blasts this month, said it was "saddened" by the attack and vowed that Manila and Jakarta would "work together" against the militant threat.

President Gloria Arroyo's spokesman Gary Olivar said, "The loss of life is something to be deplored. It is probably another reminder to us that the peace and order is a continuing issue."

Two suspected suicide bombers set off the blasts which tore through the Ritz-Carlton and nearby JW Marriott hotels and injured more than 40 people.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the Jakarta attacks made him "sick to the stomach".

"Any attack anywhere is an attack on us all," Rudd told reporters.

"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."

Rudd said he had "grave concerns" for an embassy official and two other Australians missing after the attacks.

The Australian government raised its threat alert level for Indonesia, urging citizens to reconsider their need to travel there.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for talks in India and Thailand, said, "We condemn these senseless acts of violence and stand ready to provide assistance if the Indonesian government requests us to do so."

"The attacks reflect the viciousness of violent extremists, and remind us that the threat of terrorism remains very real," Clinton said.

The European Union called the blasts "brutal acts" and conveyed condolences to the victims' families, in a statement issued by the bloc's Swedish presidency.

France said it condemned the double attack "in the strongest terms" and offered the Indonesian government its support and solidarity.

"France stands by the side of Indonesia, a major partner for our country in Asia, in its courageous fight against terrorism," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Three Dutch citizens were among those injured in the blasts, the foreign ministry said in The Hague, but a spokesman said the Netherlands was not considering changing its travel alert for Indonesia.

"Our current travel advice already warns Dutch citizens to be cautious and not to visit places where lots of foreigners gather, because of past attacks," he said.

In New Zealand, Prime Minister John Key, who confirmed that a New Zealand man was among the dead, said: "Everything I have seen suggests that this is a deliberate attack designed to kill and wound innocent people."

New Zealand embassy staff in Jakarta were contacting the 281 other nationals registered with the foreign ministry as being in the city.

Condemnation poured in from Indonesia's partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Singapore's foreign ministry said: "These attacks serve as a stark reminder of the threat that terrorism continues to pose to all countries."

The Thai foreign ministry expressed "regret" over the attacks and condemned "those who masterminded the attacks that have caused the loss of innocent lives".

English football club Manchester United cancelled the Indonesian leg of an Asian tour which would have seen the team staying at the Ritz-Carlton.

"We are shocked," team boss Alex Ferguson told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur. "We just got the news as we landed here and we are terribly disappointed because we've never been to Indonesia before."

as of 07/17/2009 9:25 PM

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