Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden bankrolled the bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta in retaliation for Australia sending troops to Iraq, an alleged terrorist reportedly told the police in Canberra.
A truck bomb killed 10 people when it blew up at the fortified gates of the embassy on September 9 during Australia's
election campaign last year. None of the victims were Australians.
A newspaper and Australia's national broadcaster reported today a transcript of Indonesian police interviews with the alleged plot leader Rois, who also goes by the name of Iwan Dharmawan, after he was arrested in November.
Rois told police that according to Malaysian bomb maker Azahari bin Husin, bin Laden had used a courier to send
10,000 Australian dollars (US $ 7,558) to pay for the bombing, The Australian newspaper reported.
Rois, a 30-year-old trader from West Java, said the embassy was targeted because of Australian involvement in the Iraq war and continuing presence there.
'The purpose in blowing up the embassy was because the Australian government is one of the American allies that gives
most support to the American policy of slaughtering Muslims in Iraq,' Australian Broadcasting Corp reported citing interview transcripts.
'And our goal is for Australia to discontinue pressuring Muslims, especially in Iraq,' Rois allegedly said.
The Australian government has long defended its decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq and maintains there is no evidence
to support the opposition Labor Party's claim's that Australia's role increased the likelihood of terrorists targeting Australians.
