Operation Alliance: 2002 Bali Bombings

To mark the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings, the AFP has released a documentary-style podcast series about the horrific event, titled: Operation Alliance: 2002 Bali Bombings.

Narrated by Ray Martin, the series tells the story of the men and women of the AFP who responded to the events in Bali following that fateful night.

Just after 11 pm local Indonesian time, a suicide bomber detonated inside Paddy’s Bar before a vehicle-borne IED exploded on the street, leaving a one-metre crater on the road, killing 202 people, including 88 Australians.

For the first time since that night, the podcast series goes behind the news headlines to explore 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 also commemorates the significant work undertaken by AFP state and international partners. 

The story highlights strong AFP relationships that have continued to help keep Australians and the region safe.

In Episode 1 – The Lights Went Out – listeners are taken into the events immediately after three separate explosions rocked Bali. 

The chaos on the streets of Kuta echoed in Australia as the AFP learned of the devastation and scrambled to assemble expert investigative and forensic teams, as well as victim identification, media and family liaison units to deploy to the crime scenes. In doing so, they began one of the most significant operations in AFP history.

Narrator and respected journalist Ray Martin takes listeners through the stories of AFP members in their own words, as they explain how they were involved in the Bali response, both offshore and at home – and what it meant to them. 

The podcast series explores the forensic breakthroughs, including post-blast residue examinations, fingerprint comparisons and a suicide bomber theory – all of which paved the way for investigators to identify suspects, later charged for their involvement in the bombings.

Listen to the podcast on the AFP website and major podcast platforms.