Grief, Anger and Dignity of Bali Survivors

Grief mixed with anger yesterday as four British survivors of last year's Bali bombing joined relatives of the 28 British dead in an emotional service marking the first anniversary of the world's worst terrorist attack since 11 September.

Emotions reached a pitch early in the service, which was held at sunset in an open-sided hilltop church on the island. Stephanie Cooper, 19 - whose uncle, Paul Hussey, was killed - sang 'You are the Wind Beneath My Wings'. Afterwards she said: 'He helped me choose that song for my gran's funeral. I sang it at his funeral and thought it would be appropriate to sing again here.'

Tony Perkins, from Sheffield, lost his daughter Natalie and niece Laura France in the bombing. The two were on a round-the-world trip and had intended to leave Bali the morning of the bombing, but stayed because they were enjoying themselves so much.

'Being here was some thing I'd got to do without a doubt because our girls are still here,' he said. 'Tomorrow I want to be at the Sari club at 11.08pm [the time of the attack] and light a candle for Natalie and Laura.'

Most of the 202 fatalities were in the club, a popular nightspot in the Kuta district of the island. The bomb exploded outside the club seconds after a smaller one went off in Paddy's Bar, across the road.

Twenty-one people have been convicted of involvement with the attack, three of whom have been sentenced to death.

The sombre mood in the church was in stark contrast to the widespread anger of many of the UK relatives with the British Government for failing to provide flights or accommodation for those going to Bali for the anniversary.

Several walked out of a meeting yesterday with the visiting Foreign Office Minister Baroness Crawley in disgust at their treatment.

'If you compare how they've done nothing for us and what the Australian government has done for its victims' families, it's understandable why people are angry,' Perkins said.

Canberra has provided enormous financial support for Australian survivors and relatives of its 88 nationals who were killed, while many Britons were able to travel only after the Red Cross donated two air tickets per family and £500 for accommodation.

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, is leading a large Australian commemoration service today. The island's police chief, Inspector General Made Mangku Pastika, warned yesterday that a terrorist threat remained despite dramatically tighter security.

'Some of the suspects of the Bali bombing are still out there and they have become smarter,' he said.

'They have become more sophisticated in hiding from police and have stopped using electronic communications.'

He indicated he felt his government was not acting quickly enough to root out the dozens of Islamist terrorists still thought to be active. 'We have to work hard to eliminate the motivation to do such attacks, but that's long-term and it's not police work,' he said.

Thousands of Balinese have lost their jobs as a result of the massive tourism slump, but yesterday many tried to forget their worries at a carnival parade through Kuta that went past the bomb site.

Transvestites sucking live snakes, dancing girls, marching bands and a variety of ornately decorated floats brought some rare cheer to the town.