On October 12th, 2002, Muslims detonated three bombs on the island of Bali in Indonesia, killing 202 people. The majority of victims were from Australia, but 22 nationalities were represented among the dead.
The first bomb was carried into a crowded nightclub around 11pm in a backpack. It was fairly small, and had the effect of forcing the group out onto the street, where the second bomb, a massive truck bomb, destroyed several buildings on the block. The third bomb was an ineffectual bomb outside the U.S. Embassy that killed no-one, but that was packed with excrement.
The bombing was carried out by members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI); but before you join the Bush Administration in another no-known-ties-to-Al-Qaeda deep sigh of relief, Jemaah Islamiyah is linked to Al Qaeda. A week after the Bali bombing, Osama Bin Laden released an audio tape saying that the bombing was in retaliation for Australia's involvement in the war in Afghanistan, and for their role in the independence of East Timor.
The leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Bakar Bashir, was arrested and convicted for the bombing. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half-years, but that was reduced to two years due to good behavior. He was released to crowds of cheering supporters in 2005. He was emboldened by his short sentence, and has resumed his role as "spiritual" leader of JI. In a 2007 sermon, he compared tourists in Bali to "worms, snakes and maggots", and said of non-Muslims, "God willing, there are none here, if there were infidels here, just beat them up. Do not tolerate them."
Riduan Isamuddin (aka Hambali) was captured in "restive" southern Thailand in a joint operation between Thai police and the CIA. He is currently being held in Guantanamo Bay. The Indonesian government requested his extradition, but the U.S. is reluctant to comply, due to the lenient treatment given to Bashir.
Other members of Jemaah Islamiyah were convicted for the bombing, and three were sentenced to death. Bashir has warned of "severe retribution" if the death penalty is ever carried out.
Some, such as rabid anti-U.S. author Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics at the University of Ottawa, claim that the Bali bombing was a conspiracy by the CIA, Indonesian intelligence agency (BIN), and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). According to this view, the CIA organized the Bali bombing in order to rally Australian opinion in the "Global War or Terror," and to allow the U.S. to continue their scheme for a global hegemony. The opinion that the U.S. was behind the Bali bombing (and 9/11, and other jihad attacks) is the majority opinion in Dar al-Islam. And it pains me greatly to say it, but it is probably true that even in the U.S., more people believe in a secret government conspiracy than believe in the historically-proven concept of Islamic jihad.
Previous Days in the "Religion of Peace™":
Oct 11: Washington D.C. Beltway Snipers
Oct 10: Charles Martel wins Battle of Tours
Oct 9: Battle of Karbala (Death of Husayn)
Oct 8: "Palestinian" pro-Osama Bin Laden rally
Oct 6: Assassination of Anwar Sadat
