4 foreigners among 9 dead in Indonesia blasts

AFP, Jakarta

Indonesia said Saturday at least four foreigners were among nine people killed in blasts at two luxury hotels in Jakarta, and that another 55 were injured.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda put the total toll at eight, including the suicide bombers who detonated the devices, downgrading it from the nine, which had been announced earlier by the health ministry.
"The latest figures we have of the victims is eight dead, and of those dead four are foreign nationals, one Indonesian national, and three others (who) have not been identified," Wirayuda told a press conference.
Wirayuda did not say how many suicide bombers there were but police have said there were two.
The health ministry's crisis centre said in an SMS alert that it had identified victims including Timothy David McKay from New Zealand, and Australians Nathan Verity and Garth McEvoy.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed that Verity and a third Australian, diplomat Craig Senger, had also died in the attack. However, he said he could not confirm McEvoy's death.
The health ministry said a Singaporean man was also killed but did not give a complete name and the Singapore embassy in Jakarta told AFP it had not verified the death.
An Indonesian man identified by the single name Darmanto was also among those killed, the ministry said.
Police have said that at least 18 foreigners were among those injured, including citizens of Australia, South Korea, the Netherlands and Japan.