NZ tourist gives police vital bomb information

A New Zealander holidaying in Bali has supplied Indonesian police with what could be a key piece of evidence in the investigation into last Sunday's bombings.

New Zealand's police attache in Indonesia, Superintendent Athol Soper, said the woman described seeing a person "hanging around" the Raja Cafe in Kuta before the explosion. She specifically recalled the behaviour of the person because it was so suspicious.

Mr Soper would not reveal her age or from where in New Zealand she was from, as he did not wish to identify her.

Indonesian police are on the hunt for the terrorist network behind the triple suicide bombing, which claimed 22 lives.

Mr Soper said the woman's statement had been passed on to the Indonesian investigation team.

He said police wanted to contact at least six other people.

"We've had calls from New Zealanders living in Jakarta who were visiting Bali at the time, and we are now following up with them," Mr Soper said.

New Zealand police plan to set up an 0800 number for potential witnesses to contact them. Police will contact other potential witnesses by email.

Even "negative" information could help investigators, he said.

"It all helps build up a picture."

Mr Soper's colleague, Hamish McCardle of Wellington, who speaks fluent Indonesian, said arrangements to interview a New Zealander slightly injured in the blasts would take place over the next few days.

The policemen said the atmosphere in Bali was hard to describe. Some tourists had chosen to stay on their pre-arranged holidays but were not leaving their hotels.

"My experience having been here after the first bombings is that it took about four weeks for the effect to bite on tourism, because you had the tail-end of pre-booked tourists," Mr McCardle said.

He expected the area to again go quiet within the next month.

Bali locals were calm and philosophical, he said.

- additional reporting NZPA