Indonesia on high alert for Bali bombings anniversary

Indonesia declared its top security alert on Wednesday, saying it has “credible information” of a threat to a ceremony later this week marking the 10th anniversary of the Bali bombings.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will attend Friday’s service in Bali for the 202 people including 164 foreigners killed in the suicide attacks against two packed nightspots on October 12, 2002.

The bombings, by the al-Qaeda-linked group Jemaah Islamiyah, opened an Asia front in the war on terrorism one year after the 9/11 attacks on the United States and dealt a crushing blow to Australia which lost 88 nationals.

“Based on credible information, the terrorists have planned to target the Bali bombing commemoration event with a terror attack,” Bali deputy police chief I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana told reporters.

“Security at all entry points to Bali, such as airports and seaports will be intensified,” he said, adding that security was at “the highest level”.

“We are taking extraordinary security measures following this threat,” he said, after earlier announcing that 1,000 security personnel including snipers and intelligence agents had been deployed.