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"CRESENT Moon Rising" looks at the rise of extremist Islamic militancy across Southeast Asia, and the missed opportunities of western intelligence agencies to prevent the Bali bombings. This book is described as a fact-based political thriller. It's the latest novel by Australian author Kerry Collison, who was based for many years in Indonesia - where this, his eight book, is also set. Collison, reportedly a former intelligence agent, has used his knowledge of the huge sprawling nation - plus satellite eavesdropping technology and the like - devious machinations behind the appalling wave of racial killings in the Moluccas, in the east of the Indonesia archipelago a few years ago, and the lead-up to the initial Bali bombing in October 2002. "Cresent Moon Rising" is fast-paced, and a quick enjoyable read. It covers ground that many will be familiar with and makes some interesting points. One of the more disturbing is the suggestion that American intelligence chiefs realized a major attack was about to occur just before the Bali bombing - which prompted them to withdraw their troops from holidaying there. But they failed to alert their allies Down Under. The inference that Collison makes is that Washington wanted Canberra and the Australian public to suffer their own September 11 so they would be willing allies in the "war against terror". Hambali, Amrosi, and key terrorists alleged to have been involved in the Bali bombs and the terrifying bloodshed in the Moluccas in the years leading up to 2002 are all named and play out sinister roles. More disturbing is the evil schemes of rogue Indonesian military generals. With Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono taking over from the hopeless Megawati, Jakarta appears to be slowly getting its act together. He's been a breath of fresh air in a region packed with good leaders are few and far between. But this book is set in the era preceding SBY, when the generals stirred up religious hatred, mobilizing fanatical groups such as the Laskar Jihad to run amok in the the country's eastern isles. Fiction or faction, it's fascinating nonetheless.
At a time when Australians are wavering in support of a proposed US led invasion of Iraq, more than six hundred US Marines rotating on R & R in Bali suddenly disappear; then, Kuta erupts in a fireball and Australia falls into line with America. Read more about “Crescent Moon Rising - The Bali Bombings”