'Biological attack' shuts Indonesian embassy in Australia
AFP, Sydney
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. "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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