“Standing in the foyer of the Bounty Hotel, people were just walking in, blood dripping off them, burns to their face, skin coming off them.” National Police Chief General Da’i Bachtiar said today that the explosion came from a Kijang, a jeep-like vehicle, and called it the worst act of terrorism in Indonesia’s history The blasts came three days after the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide alert for terror attacks and highlighted fears by the United States and others that Indonesia the most populous Muslim nation is becoming a haven for terrorists and that al-Qa’ida operatives are active. There was no claim of responsibility for the bombing in the Sari Club, which officials said killed Indonesians along with Australians, Germans, Canadians, Britons, and Swedes. At least 90 of the injured were critically ill, officials said.

“This is the worst act of terror in Indonesia’s history,” Gen.Bachtiar said. “We have to be more alert for other acts of terror including international terrorism in the future.” In September, the American Embassy in Jakarta was closed for six days due to what US Ambassador Ralph Boyce called a “credible and specific threat” that he suggested was linked to the al-Qaida terror network. Last month, a hand grenade exploded in a car near a house belonging to the US Embassy in Jakarta, killing the man suspected of handling it. The explosion and fire damaged about 20 other buildings and 20 cars were either destroyed or badly damaged. Wayan Putra, a driver at the nearby Poppies hotel, said that after the blast, hundreds of people rushed toward the nightclub but could not get close because of the intense flames. Dozens of injured were evacuated by moped drivers who normally ferry tourists from one part of the resort to another. Ambulances also arrived and the blaze was extinguished several hours later “It was horrible I am devastated Bali has always, always been safe We depend on tourism for our livelihood.

Our name has been smeared by this horrible blast,” Mr Putra said. Australia’s Qantas airline scheduled an extra flight to Bali Sunday to evacuate Australians. Bali is Indonesia’s top tourist destination.* People concerned for relatives and friends in Bali should telephone the British consulate on 00 62 361 270 601. One blackened body after another was pulled from the nightclub on the tourist island of Bali that only hours earlier had been packed with holidaymakers from around the world.