Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia strongly condemns the bomb attack in Mumbai, India, last Wednesday (July 13) that took 21 lives, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said here on Thursday.

"We strongly condemn the attack and express deep condolences to the people of India for the loss of lives due to the terror," said the minister.

He said the recent attack reminded the world that terrorism is a real threat and cooperation is needed to counter it.

Three simultaneous blasts killed 20 people and injured dozens more in Mumbai on Wednesday, in the deadliest attack on India`s commercial capital since the traumatic 2008 assault by militants.

The bombs exploded in busy districts in the south of the city, the same area targeted two and half years ago by militant gunmen who caused mayhem and bloodshed during a 60-hour siege that left 166 people dead.

"It is another attack on the heart of India, another attack on Mumbai," said the chief minister of the state, Prithviraj Chavan, who hinted at possible foreign involvement by saying it was a "challenge to Indian sovereignty."

The Home Ministry said at least 20 people had been killed and 113 injured, many of them seriously.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters in New Delhi that it was "a coordinated attack by terrorists," adding that "the entire city of Mumbai has been put on high alert."

The targets included a predominantly middle class residential area, a wholesale gold market, and a building housing diamond traders and jewelery shops.

All three explosions went off within a 15-minute period, starting at around 6:50pm (1320 GMT).

"It is clear that the attackers wanted to hurt as many people as possible. A lot of people Were injured," a minister in the Maharashtra state government, Chhagan Bhujbal, told reporters.
(T.A051/HAJM/F001)

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