08.50 pm, Thursday May 24 2012

Blast victim's body flown home

20:13 AEDT Tue Jul 21 2009
VIEWS: 0
| FLOCKS: 0
| comments0 comments so far
Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith says that the bodies of three Australians killed in Jakarta are being brought home.

Also on
Fake filmTeen suspended over bullying vid No chuteDaredevil leaps from helicopter Tipping overTruck filmed losing control 'Too hot'Woman 'fired for good looks' Grease bombEggs and bacon in roll heaven Chelsy DavyChelsy girlHarry says she's 'the one'

The body of one of three Australians killed in the Jakarta hotel attacks was to be flown home on Tuesday, as his family expressed hope the tragedy wouldn't deter others from working in Indonesia.

Mourners gathered at a Jakarta hospital to farewell Brisbane man Garth McEvoy before his coffin was transported to the nearby airport to be flown back to Australia.

McEvoy, Perth businessman Nathan Verity and Austrade official Craig Senger were among nine people killed in the coordinated suicide bombings on the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton hotels on Friday.

McEvoy, 54, was commercial manager for construction giant Thiess in Indonesia.

His family in Australia on Tuesday said they were devastated by their loss.

"Our thoughts go out to all of the families and friends affected by this terrible tragedy," Garth's brother Trent McEvoy said in the statement on the family's behalf.

"No one should have to go through this.

"Garth enjoyed his life in Indonesia and our family holds no ill feeling towards Indonesia or its people."

The family thanked Australian authorities for their support during the ordeal.

"Garth wouldn't have wanted people to stop working in Indonesia or for Australians to think the worst of Indonesians because of a senseless act by a small minority.

"He would have wanted everyone to continue working with the wonderful people in Indonesia."

The bodies of Verity and Senger were expected to be flown home on Wednesday.

Fugitive Malaysian-born radical Noordin Mohammad Top, who leads a hardline splinter group of the al-Qaeda-linked terror outfit Jemaah Islamiah (JI), has been named the suspected mastermind of the attacks.

Authorities believe Top was also responsible for a 2003 attack on the Marriott, the 2004 attack on Australia's embassy in Jakarta and the 2005 Bali bombings.

The media has named one of the suicide bombers as Nur Said, also known as Nur Hasbi, an associate of Top who graduated from militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir's notorious Islamic school in Solo, central Java.

Police are yet to confirm the reports but on Tuesday visited the school to question staff.

A teacher at the school confirmed police had been questioning staff for two days.

"The police came yesterday and today. It's just ordinary chat. The police checking on us is normal," Al-Mukmin deputy principal Muhammad Sholeh Ibrahim told AFP.

Australian woman Jacqueline Kennedy held back tears as she spoke of helping those injured by the bomb at the Ritz-Carlton.

"I just kept thinking 'okay, it's important that we get everybody safe and we take care of everybody' and I guess I didn't stop to think for myself," the hotel employee told Network Ten.

Ms Kennedy was headed for the hotel's restaurant, where the bomb was detonated, when the blast occurred.

"In terms of timing it was the difference of maybe a minute or two otherwise I personally would have been standing right in the middle of the restaurant as it occurred," she said.

A media report in Australia (Eds: Seven Network) of another unexploded bomb being found in Jakarta on Tuesday - near the Australian embassy - appears to have been based on a hoax.

 

Most popular

 Drowned chef's friends 'will suffer entire lives'A young Melbourne man who drowned after jumping off a pier early this morning had been drinking with friends who convinced him to take the fatal plunge.
 Baby died in hot car as mum slept: courtThe 21-year-old Melbourne mother charged with manslaughter over the death of her baby daughter in a hot car has been granted bail.
 UK girl with bow hairstyle banned from photoAn English four-year-old was banned from appearing in her annual school photograph because her hair had been styled in a bow.
 Child prostitution ring ran for 2 yearsMore victims may come forward and more arrests are expected from an investigation into a Sydney child prostitution ring.
 Brisbane man collapses after crashing MonaroA Brisbane man collapsed after seeing his pride and joy, a Holden Monaro, burst into flames after colliding with a traffic island this morning.
 Killer says he loves victim, hates himselfAn Indian-born man who slit his wife's throat has written of his love for her, while her sister has told a Sydney judge how much she misses her sibling.
 Unexploded bomb found in Ballarat museumVisitors to a country Victorian museum have been evacuated after the discovery of an unexploded World War I egg bomb.
 Wife caught husband in bed with teenA man's drug-fuelled relationship with a child was exposed when his wife caught them in bed together, a court has heard.
 Grieving pit bull stays by dead friendA heartbreaking photo has been posted online of a grieving pit bull staying by the side of its friend after it was hit by a car on a US street.
 Video captures truck driver tipping over on bendIt's the last thing you want to see while taking a nice scenic drive in the countryside.
Be our fan on Facebook
Most Recommended
You need the latest version of Flash Player.
Enjoy the most vivid content on the web
Watch video without extra features
Interact with applications on your favourite sites
Upgrade now

page complete