Umar Patek, the mastermind behind the explosives that caused the tragic Bali Bombings in 2002, has opened a coffee shop in East Java, leveraging his notorious past to promote his new venture. Patek was responsible for creating the bombs used in the attack that claimed 202 lives, including 88 Australians. His new business, funded by a high-end Indonesian restaurant, features a controversial slogan: “Once I concocted bombs, and now I concoct coffee.” He even claims to “brew peace.”
The announcement of the coffee shop has been met with outrage from survivors of the bombings. Phil Britten, a survivor who was present during the attack, condemned Patek’s actions as “disgusting and despicable.” He expressed that Patek’s early release from prison was due to his purported remorse, which now appears disingenuous. Britten recalled the terrifying moment of the attack, saying, “It was like being hit by this god almighty power,” as he and others were thrown through the air by the blast.
Britten sustained severe injuries, including shrapnel wounds and burns, and he endured significant trauma knowing that many of his friends did not survive. Upon waking from a coma in the Royal Adelaide Hospital, he learned that seven of his teammates had died in the bombing. Britten and other victims continue to grapple with the emotional and physical scars left by that night.
While Patek asserts that he has turned over a new leaf, many are sceptical, viewing the coffee shop promotion as deeply offensive to those who suffered and lost loved ones in the attack. Survivors and their families demand recognition of their pain rather than a commercialised narrative from the individual responsible for their suffering.