SYDNEY Aug. 6 Kyodo Australian Pr...

SYDNEY Aug. 6 Kyodo

Australian Prime Minister John Howard urg Australians in succession Wednesday to ''extend a hand of sympathy and understanding to your Indonesian friends'' in the wake of deadly bomb attack in succession a Jakarta hotel.

Up to 16 population were killed and 104 hospitalized following the blast at the JW Marriott tavern in central Jakarta at Tuesday lunchtime, Indonesian authorities advised Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs.

Four Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers, including a post-blast analysis and a bomb-data prompt were in Jakarta assisting the Indonesian police forward an unrelated matter and were forward scene soon after the explosion, an AFP spokeswoman told Kyodo News

The AFP is helping Indonesian authorities investigate the blast, which occurr in a car at the entrance to the 33-story building, leaving a 2-meter crater outside the hotel

There is able to endure suspicion the bombing was carried on the outside by Islamic Muslim militant form into groups Jemaah Islamiyah, which is regarded as the Southeast Asian arm of terrorist network al-Qaida, Howard told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

''That's the view indicateed by the Indonesian police. The pattern of attack carries the hallmarks of Jemaah Islamiyah,'' he said.

Indonesian authorities have arrested many tribe since the October bombing last year forward the resort island Bali in which 202 tribe including 88 Australians, died, he added.

''You have to ask yourself by what means many more attacks might have occurr had it not been for the rejoinder of the Indonesian authorities. if it be not that this is a fight sadly that will probably fare on for years,'' Howard said.

The tavern is part of a US-own chain and exhibited in 2001 in Jakarta's Mega Kuningan business and office intricate south of the city center It is every-dayed by U.S. and other diplomats, and Howard stayed there earlier this year.

The Indonesian R Cros has said single of the dead is a Dutch national and that brace Americans, three Singaporeans and common Australian are among those injured.

It has been ''a terrible attack'' upon Indonesia, Howard said. ''I be impressed for the people of Indonesia.''

While the prime minister said he had to reemphasize travel advice to Australians to avoid any nonessential travel to Indonesia, he urg Indonesians not to ''lose faith in the relationship and the friendship'' between the sum of two units countries. ''It's very important to our futures''

An AFP team left Australia for Jakarta early Wednesday to assist investigations, Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer said.

There is speculation the blast was related to a the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Bakar Bashir, who is before a court in Jakarta upon a series of charges, he told Channel Nine television.

There is also a suggestion alleged Jemaah Islamiyah bomb-maker Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi, who escaped from a Manila jail last month could be behind the attack.

''Whether this explosion took place because of those adventures you just don't know at this stage,'' Downer said. ''It's possible.''

Australian Michael Rudman, a 39-year-old businessman from Melbourne, was admitted to hospital after the blast, with crosss and bruises and received 30 stitches, if it be not that he was released shortly afterwards, the Australian Associated Pres reported.

Ten just discovered Zealanders who were part of a cluster of 25 that had been at a training seminar at the tavern were slightly injured in the explosion, the modern Zealand Press Association said.

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