Bali bomber believed to be behind Jakarta bombings

Melbourne, July 19 (ANI): A Malaysian-born extremist wanted for the 2002 Bali attacks is believed to be behind the deadly twin hotel bombings in Jakarta.

Suspected Islamist suicide bombers detonated powerful devices at the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels in an upmarket business district, killing at least eight people and leaving more than 50 injured.

As security was tightened across the country, Indonesian police said that they were studying DNA evidence to identify the two suicide bombers who carried out the attacks on Friday, News.com.au reported.

No group has claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on the Jemaah Islamiyah network, responsible for the 2002 Bali attacks that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.

Investigators said they found an unexploded bomb, as well as explosive chemicals and bomb-making materials in room 1808 of the Marriott, which they believed served as a control centre for the attackers.

The bombs were packed with nails, ball bearings, nuts and bolts to maximise carnage and appeared to be "identical" to ones previously used in past JI attacks, police said.

They were also the same as bombs found in a recent raid on an Islamic boarding school in central Java during the hunt for master bomb-maker Noordin Mohammed Top, leader of a JI splinter group.

Noordin is wanted for his role in the Bali attacks as well as a 2003 bombing at the Jakarta Marriott, which killed 12 people, and the 2005 truck bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta.

"From the modus operandi, this is clearly linked to Noordin M. Top," Indonesian Security Ministry's Ansyaad Mbai said. (ANI)