Today, the AFP releases the third episode in a documentary-style podcast series about the 2002 Bali bombings.
The 20th anniversary next week has a special significance for the Australian community and the AFP, and the podcast series - Operation Alliance: 2002 Bali Bombings - is a tribute to the current and former men and women of the AFP who responded to the terrorist act in Bali.
Episode 3 - Team Effort - focuses on the joint investigation into the October 12, 2002 Bali bombings - a significant turning point for the AFP. The organisation had to evolve overnight, forming critical alliances with police jurisdictions around the country and most importantly, with the Indonesian National Police (INP). The investigation was an extraordinary team effort, one of the largest collaborations ever witnessed by Australian law enforcement and one that would ultimately bring about results.
For the first time since that fateful night when 202 people died, including 88 Australians, narrator and respected journalist Ray Martin takes listeners into the stories behind the headlines as told by current and former AFP members in their own words.
The podcast series explores the AFP's efforts in supporting the Indonesian criminal investigation, the meticulous forensic work and the harrowing, but necessary, Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) process.
It pays homage to the significant work undertaken by AFP members with our state police and international partners. The AFP's relationship with Indonesia law enforcement during Operation Alliance remains as strong today as it was 20 years ago. This commitment and shared interest in the region has continued to help keep Australians safe, and we tell that important story in this podcast.
In 2002, the AFP established a Forensic Major Incident Room (FMIR) at its laboratories in Canberra to coordinate the Australian forensic response to the bombings. While in Bali - for the very first time - we used a mobile forensic capability.
The police forward command post in the Kartika Plaza Hotel had facilities for crime scene investigation, bomb-data analysis, post-blast analysis, chemical/physical enhancement, fingerprint comparison, digital imaging and photograph production.
Meanwhile back in Australia, AFP financial and cyber experts were being supported internationally with officers from the FBI, Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch, German Bundeskriminalamt and Dutch National Police.
The AFP and the lives of many of our members changed after the Bali bombings. Our hearts will always be with grieving families and survivors. Equally, we are forever thankful for the men and women of the AFP and our partners who deployed to Bali in October 2002.
Episode 3 - Team Effort is released today, with episodes available weekly through to 12 October on the AFP website and major podcast platforms.
Episode Guide:
Episode 1: The Lights Went Out - out now
Episode 2: Looking For Clues - out now
Episode 3: Team Effort - 5 - out now
Episode 4: Closing The Circle - 12 October
