In response to the Jakarta bombing: bring the troops home from Iraq

The terror bombing today in central Jakarta - near the Australian
Embassy - in which some six people were killed shows that invading
Iraq has not made the world a safer place, said Ms Pip Hinman for
Stop the War Coalition.

"This bombing in Jakarta is a tragedy. But the bigger tragedy is that
the illegal war on Iraq by the Coalition of the Willing is creating
the conditions for handfuls of fanatics to unleash their own war.

"Whatever the actual circumstances of the Jakarta bombing, the
reality is that the illegal war in Iraq has done exactly what Police
Commissioner Mick Keelty admitted - but was later forced to retract.
It increased the likelihood of terror acts to be unleashed elsewhere -
including in Australia.

"The troops should be brought home immediately. We should follow the
Spanish example", said Ms Hinman.

"End the lies" rallies are being organised around the country,
October 2-3, before the federal elections. Stop the War Coalition is
keen to make bringing the troops home a central focus.