'Biological attack' shuts Indonesian embassy in Australia
Indonesia's embassy in Canberra was sealed with 22 staff inside on Wednesday after a letter filled with a bacterial powder arrived for the ambassador in what appeared to be a biological attack linked to the jailing of a young Australian woman in Indonesia for drug trafficking.
Prime Minister John Howard condemned the attack and issued a formal apology to Indonesia, a former regional rival.
Jakarta called the incident a cowardly attempt to intimidate it over the conviction and jailing last week of Australian Schapelle Corby, whose fate sparked outrage among many Australians.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "This is a deeply distressing incident," said a clearly shaken Howard. "It is quite appalling, and I condemn it unreservedly.
"Let me say that I'm staggered that it's happened, but I'm afraid that we have to recognise that there's a dark corner in every country and you can get that kind of behavior in every country," he said, calling the attack "a recklessly criminal act".
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