Australia not pleased to see happy Bali bomber

Australian's were outraged on Thursday by images of a happy, joking Bali bomber confessing to police in Indonesia, condemning the smile of t...

Australian’s were outraged on Thursday by images of a happy, joking Bali bomber confessing to police in Indonesia, condemning the smile of the Indonesian as proof the bombers were ‘‘bloodthirsty’’ and ‘‘sneering’’ people.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer lashed out at the images of the smiling bomber, televised across Australia and splashed across front pages, as ‘‘ugly images’’ that would distress relatives of the victims.

‘‘I looked at him on television this morning, you know laughing and joking and waving, and I think to myself, how would I feel if one of my children, or another one of my family members or a loved one had been killed?’’ Downer said.

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‘‘I think these people are so bloodthirsty. Their sort of ugly, sneering, amused attitude at the slaughter of innocent people, it’s just horrific that there are people like that.’’ A fresh-faced Indonesian man identified only as Amrozi smiled and waved at reporters on Wednesday as he admitted being one of the Bali bombers. He told police of his delight at the attacks and said he went sightseeing in the days before the blasts.

Wearing police-issue shorts and a blue T-shirt with the word ‘‘detainee’’ splashed across his back, Amrozi looked relaxed as over 100 reporters and cameramen watched the national police chief question the prime suspect in the attack. Australian Opposition leader Simon Crean described Amrozi’s public interrogation as bizarre and insensitive.