It's hardly surprising that rabid Muslim clerics and shortsighted nationalist professors are blaming the US for the horrendous Bali nightclub bombing.
But something is seriously wrong when Indonesia's leading business newspaper also suggests that foreign countries might have masterminded the carnage as part of a covert plot to take over the nation's rich natural resources.
The Bisnis Indonesia daily, in its editorial on Monday, does exactly that, claiming that foreign powers could have orchestrated the monstrous act of terror in an effort to control Indonesia.
"It is not impossible that the terror package came from other countries which wish to see the destruction of Indonesia, hoping that they could control this country which is rich in natural resources," says the daily.
Bisnis Indonesia also claims Jakarta should reject foreign assistance in dealing with terrorism.
"We are certainly obliged to combat terrorism, but we should act in our own way, without guidance from other nations," says the newspaper, seemingly unaware of the gross incompetence and unprofessionalism of Indonesia's security authorities.
By casting aspersions on foreign countries, as opposed to foreign terrorists, Bisnis Indonesia is putting itself in the same boat as extremist Muslim cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, who had this to say about the attacks: "It would be impossible for Indonesians to do it ... Indonesians don't have such powerful explosives. I think maybe the US are behind the bombings because they always say Indonesia is part of a terrorist network."
Bashir's comments were echoed by Habib Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), which has often attacked nightclubs. "The incident could be used as reason for the United States and its allies to justify their accusations that Indonesia is a terrorist network base," said Shihab.
Like the Islamic radicals, the person who penned Bisnis Indonesia's editorial apparently has no idea that foreign countries doing business in Indonesia desire security and political stability, and have nothing to gain from chaos or the break-up of the republic.
Even if a foreign government was seeking to unleash chaos in Indonesia for whatever nefarious motive, it would hardly target a location packed with foreigners.
The Indonesian economy is now already starting to suffer as a result of the Bali attacks. Stupid remarks from Bisnis Indonesia will do little assuage investors' fears. Jakarta stocks were down 9% to 342.12 by midday Monday and the rupiah had slipped more than 3% to 9,300 by 2pm.
The stock market drop was reminiscent of the worst day on the Jakarta exchange at the height of the financial crisis in 1998, when the bourse plummeted 11.96% on January 8 that year.
"We're finished. Our defense to convince people that doing business in Indonesia is safe is finished," Aburizal Bakrie, chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"Who wants to invest in this kind of situation ... not only foreign investors but local investors will think a thousand times before making any investment," he said.
He urged the government to find the perpetrators as soon as possible, to counter the negative impact on Indonesia's efforts to overcome its prolonged economic crisis.