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BALI,
Indonesia—What was billed as a security
nightmare—protecting 10,000 delegates at the
climate-change conference in an idyllic resort island
where terrorists had already spread mayhem in 2002—just
got worse. The already tight security on the island grew
even stricter hours after reports that car bombs had
killed 76 people in Algeria, with the United Nations
refugee agency building as prime target.
United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon expressed outrage
and strongly condemned Tuesday’s terrorist bombing where
fatalities included 11 UN employees.
“Words
cannot express my sense of shock, outrage and anger at
the terrorist attack on the United Nation in
Algiers,”
said the UN chief, who is in Bali for the climate change
conference.
Meanwhile, security in Bali was tightened even more on
Tuesday right after the bombing in Algeria.
More
police and military officers were deployed around the
conference venue where more than 10,000 delegates from
180 countries are gathering for the Bali negotiations.
Helicopters circled the venue; sniff dogs and
bomb-detector trucks were also deployed.
The
Algerian capital was struck Tuesday by two car-bomb
attacks near the city’s United Nations offices.
The UN
has a total of 40 staff in Algeria, including 19
international staff, 21 temporary hires and 115 local.
Ban
called the attack a “cowardly strike against civilian
officials serving humanity’s highest ideals under the UN
banner” and that it was “base, indecent and
unjustifiable by any standards.”
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono joined Ban in
condemning the deadly attack.
Speaking
before the delegates during the opening of the
high-level talks of the conference, Rudd said: “We
express our sympathy to the victims of the bombing.”
Yudhoyono also expressed his condolences for the
horrible terrorist attack that claimed people’s lives.
“We pray
for the innocent victims and our deepest sympathies go
to the families they left behind,” he said.
“The
security of UN staff is paramount. We will take every
measure to ensure their safety, in
Algeria
and elsewhere, beginning with an immediate review of our
security precautions and policies,” Ban said.
Ban said
he has ordered a UN security review, adding that “the
perpetrators of these crimes will not escape the
strongest possible condemnation and ultimate punishment
by the international community.” |
