Joe’s Chilling Escape From The 'Forgotten' Bali Bombing
4/8/20261 hr 21 min
On October 1, 2005, terror struck Bali when three suicide bombings ripped through crowded restaurants in Jimbaran Bay and Kuta, killing 20 people and injuring more than 100. Among those caught in the blasts was 20-year-old Newcastle local Joe Frost.
Thrown face-down into the sand, ears ringing and legs burning, Joe survived - but others at his table were killed or left with life-changing injuries.
Now a journalist, Joe is revisiting the attack through his podcast Forgotten Bombs: Bali 2005, speaking with survivors, investigators, and even those linked to Jemaah Islamiyah.
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First 90 secondsGemma Bath· Host0:00
[suspenseful music] It's just before 7:00 PM on a beautiful Saturday night in October 2005, and Jimbaran Beach in Bali is full of tourists. It's a popular hotspot known for its sunsets and seafood, and 20-year-old Joe Frost is enjoying some Bintangs with 18 locals from his hometown of Newcastle, New South Wales. Then, a large bang shatters the air. At first, they think it might be a gas bottle explosion, maybe a barbecue. But then, a few minutes later, another explosion. This time, feels like it's right on top of Joe. His ears are screaming. His face is in the sand. His shorts feel like they're on fire. Joe survives, but that night, across three bombs, 20 people don't. Bali has been hit by its second terror attack in just three years. [somber music] I'm Gemma Bath, and you're listening to True Crime Conversations, a podcast exploring the world's most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. Joe is lucky to be alive. The two people to his right died. The two people to his left were critically injured. He found out later the terrorist was likely facing him when his bomb went off.