When the bombs was exploded, there was a regular meeting held by multinational companies that based in Jakarta, Indonesia. The regular meeting and breakfast is held every Friday morning in JW Marriot or Ritz-Carlton Hotel. For today’s meeting, the event organizer was chosen JW Marriot as the meeting place. The event organizer is Castle Asia, a consultant company.
The bomb exploded just a few minutes after the meeting start. The members of this meeting are the most affected with the blasts since they were the closest area of the bomb.
One of the survivor from the bombing was Noke Kiroyan. He is the founder of Kiroyan-Kuhon Partners, a consultant company. According to Noke Kiroyan, the members of the meeting was arrived at the restaurant about 07.30 of Western Indonesian Time. A few minutes after that, one by one the members were arriving and taking place in the main table in the center of the room. The meeting usually starts at 07.45.
Noke Kiroyan was sitting at the end of the long table. He thinks this is the reason he was survived. He sit next to James Castle, the Chairman of Castle Asia who is also the person who arranged this meeting. And his right hand side was Andy Cobham from Hill & Associates and Adrianto Machribie as the Commissioneer of PT. Freeport Indonesia. All of these three was survived because the quite distance from the entrance door and a pilar in the room.
At that time, there was around 18 people who were coming to the meeting. Some were talking and other already start their breakfast. Not long after that, there was the sound of the blast. Noke Kiroyan just remember the room is getting dark because of lossing electricity and dusts all over the place. He can see some of his colleagues were lying on the floor.
Four members of this meeting has died because of the bombing. The victims are Timothy D. McKay (PT. Holcim Indonesia), John McEvoy (PT. Thiess Indonesia), Nathan Verity (Verity Human Resources) and Craig David Senger (Australian Embassy).
Noke Kiroyan had injuries on his face, some bruises and scratches, and the worst injury is on his right ear. Most of the members of the meeting have to suffer with their hearing because of the blasts. However, James Castle said the tradition of having breakfast together will be continued, but he still not sure whether it will take place in JW Marriot again.
