3 Apr 2010

Jakarta suicide bomber's last walk live-streamed

9:50 pm on 3 April 2010

An Indonesian prosecutor has described a chilling mobile phone video made by a suicide bomber as he approached his victims in Jakarta's Marriott Hotel last year.

The attacks on the Marriott and another hotel killed nine people, including New Zealand businessman Tim Mackay and three Australians.

The ABC reports that the video shows the live stream from the mobile phone of 18-year-old suicide bomber Danni Dwi Permana as he closed in on his targets before blowing himself up and killing five people.

Up to now, the only known footage of the attack was from closed-circuit television cameras in the hotel lobby.

Bomber did not waver from path

Terrorism prosecutor Firman Syah says the video begins as the bomber leaves room 1808 - the hotel room used by the terror cell as a control centre to prepare for the attacks.

As Permana goes down to the foyer his handler, Syaifudin Zuhri, reassures him, repeating the phrase "Allahu Akhbar", or "God is the greatest".

Mr Syah says the recording shows Permana was well prepared to be a suicide bomber, not wavering from his path and proceeding downstairs straight to his victims without hesitation.

He says the footage, recorded on Zuhri's phone, continues after the blast and Zuhri can be heard saying "Allahu Akhbar" again, and then crying.

Video intended as fund-raiser

When Mr Syah asked an alleged co-conspirator about the crying, he was told Zuhri was emotional because the mission had been accomplished.

He says the recording was intended as a sort of report back to the man who planned the attack, Noordin Mohammad Top.

Mr Syah says Top, a terrorist who led an al-Qaeda splinter group, had allegedly sent an intermediary to Saudi Arabia to raise funds for the attack and the video would have been used to raise more funds for another bombing.

But police found the video last year after surrounding Top's hideout and killing him.