Bombing condemned

China, Canada, the United Nations and regional grouping ASEAN added their voices to the outrage expressed by Australia and many Asian countries after Tuesday's blast, which killed at least 14 people and left over 150 injured.

"We strongly condemn this as a terrorist attack," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters in Crawford, Texas, where President George W. Bush is on vacation.

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He refused to comment on any possible involvement of the al-Qaeda network but said that the bombing was "a reminder that we are still fighting a war on terrorism".

In Washington, State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker denounced what he termed a "deplorable act of terrorist violence". At least two American citizens were among the injured.

China also condemned the blast. "The Chinese government objects to terrorism in any form," foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Wednesday.

"As a friendly neighbour, China will, as always, support Indonesia's persistent efforts to crack down on terrorism and maintain domestic stability."

The Philippines and Singapore, two of Indonesia's neighbours who have arrested scores of JI suspects, said Southeast Asian nations needed to unite to defeat the terrorism scourge.

Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham also pledged "continued Canadian solidarity in the fight against international terrorism and expressed hope that those responsible for this atrocity would be brought to justice".

Shortly after the blast, Australian Prime Minister John Howard warned that defeating terrorism "will be a fight that will take years and require the cooperation of all of the agencies in the region".