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An Australian lawyer is one of 20 businessmen believed to be the target of a suicide bombers attack in Jakarta on Friday.
AN Australian lawyer is one of 20 businessmen believed to be the target of a suicide bombers attack in Jakarta on Friday.
Garth McEvoy, 55, a Jakarta-based lawyer and commercial manager for the Australian construction and mining company Thiess, along with West Australian businessman Nathan Verity and Austrade official Craig Senger were all at a breakfast meeting at the Marriott when the bombs exploded, reports the Brisbane Times.
Senger and Verity have been officially named among those killed in the attack, while McEvoy is presumed dead.
About 20 international executives attended the breakfast meeting organised by CastleAsia, a Jakarta-based consultancy. A source within CastleAsia told media it was "very possible" terrorists had singled out the meeting in the Marriot's Syailendra Restaurant at 7.45am local time on Friday.
"It's very possible the bomber targeted the meeting. When he entered the hotel there was a choice of turning left or right. He decided to go left and head towards the breakfast. You have to ask why this was."
Senior local politicians and bureaucrats often attend the functions but were not present at Friday's gathering of gas, oil and mining executives.
A fourth Australian- the ANZ bank's head of natural resources in Indonesia, Melbourne man Scott Merrillees - was taken from the Marriott to Jakarta's MMC Hospital with leg and head injuries. While CastleAsia founder and US citizen, James Castle, was hospitalised with concussion.
Zambian-born, McEvoy migrated to Sydney as a child and obtained a law degree from the Northern Territory University in 1995. He worked for several prominent law firms and the Australian Government Solicitor. He moved to Jakarta from Brisbane, where he had also worked for Thiess.
Nine people are believed dead and 42 injured in the twin bombings of the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, which face each other across a street in the Mega Kuningan business district. At least two other foreigners and one Indonesian are amongst the fatalities.
In a statement colleagues described McEvoy as outgoing and personable "but a tenacious deal maker".
"Garth enjoyed golf and was an active member of the Jakarta community. He was well known for his friendly and outgoing nature, endearing him to all staff."
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