Another bomb explosion. As I write this at least nine have been killed and 52 others have been injured in Friday morning's bomb blasts at U.S. hotel chains JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

The victims consist of both Indonesian and foreign nationals.

It is the first terror bomb again striking Indonesia after four years of peaceful period that just yesterday seemed to be gonna last forever.

But, it did not. Just after we begin to recover from the trauma left by the 2002 Bali I bombing, the 2003 JW Marriott bombing (yes it’s the same Marriott hotel), the 2004 Austalian Embassy bombing, and the 2005 Bali II bombing; just after the economy and national security are stabilizing; just after Indonesia manages to restore international confidence with the lift of ban on its flights to Europe; now another terror bomb strikes, slaughtering the innocents (at least in this whatsoever war against whatever) into pieces.

I am paralyzed; as I woke up this morning receiving an SMS from the press bureau of the Presidential Palace informing that the President was preparing to head to the bombing location.

'Gosh!' said I. 'What bombing?!'

I browsed the internet, checked the facebook status of my friends immediately, and found news that bombs exploded at JW Marriott on 07.40 a.m. and at Ritz Carlton on 07.42 a.m. and a few have been killed and dozens others injured.

I was preparing to go to the location, still fearing that another unfound bomb would explode while I was there, and thank God that another SMS arrived, telling me that the President decided to monitor the situation from the Palace instead.

He is now having a closed-door meeting with the National Police Chief, the State Intelligence Agency Chief, and the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs as I am writing this note, while waiting for his press statement.

… (sorry, interrupted because I had to listen to the press statement, follow the President to a hospital to visit the victims, and write news reports on it).

I wonder indeed; what the @#$^! is on the head of the bombers, whom the Police have now identified as suicide bombers (two of the killed victims are believed to be the bombers themselves).

The previous terror bombs were associated with that so-called Jamaah Islamiyah Islamic terrorist group (said to have a link to Al Qaeda), and that is pretty understandable as the Muslim world was just under attack with the US’ sending of its troops to Irak, which was later on proved as having nothing to do with nuclear issues.
(Not the terror bombs which is understandable, but their being associated with Jamaah Islamiyah).

Now although again many people immediately associate today’s hotel blasts with the extremist Islamist movement, it is hard to believe that any Islamist extremists were indeed involved in the attack, as they have now no reason to do so.

No motives. Nothing new happens in the Muslim world but the ethnic violence in Xinjiang, China, that has left 192 people dead, most of who were the Uighur Muslims. If this is the one that prompted the bombing in Jakarta, then it should have been the Chinese Embassy or Chinese-owned hotel chains that was bombed. But they are completely safe and sound.

Many people have now thus come to a conclusion that the bombing is very likely related to local issues, more specifically the recent presidential election that, according to several major quick count results, has brought President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to his re-election for second term (2009-2014).

Indeed, the President himself finally said in his press statement that the bomb blasts were likely related to dissatisfaction over the result of the election. He said he had received intelligence reports revealing plans to disrupt public order as soon as the General Elections Commission (KPU) announced the election result, scheduled for July 25.

These are excerpts of his statement in regard to the bombing:

"There were these terrorists having gunfire exercise making a photo of me as the shot target," Yudhoyono said, showing printed pictures of two terrorists wearing black masks and dressed in black outfits directing their guns on the shot target and of a photo of him with a hole on left cheek.

"The intelligence also found a plan for violent actions against the law in regard with the election result. And there's a plan to forcibly occupy the General Elections Commission (KPU)'s office on the announcement day of the voting result.

"Then there have been statements saying there will be a revolution if SBY wins, that they want to make (situation) in Indonesia resembling that in Iran, and lastly that SBY shall not and cannot be inaugurated

"These are intelligence reports; neither rumors, issues or gossips. We've never opened this to the public but we've been following and monitoring the development.”

…

Whatever actually happens; whatever has actually prompted the stupid bombers to again launch their attacks, now Yudhoyono and his rivals in the presidential election, especially vice presidential candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Prabowo Subianto, are involved in heated debate over the President’s associating the deadly bombing with the election result.

Yudhoyono’s statement seems to direct the blame at Prabowo, and Prabowo’s camp accuses Yudhoyono of using up the situation to warn people not to show any rejection to the election result.

Which one is true? Let time tells, though maybe only God knows.