Disgusting.
Australia will formally complain to Indonesia after the archipelago nation's counter-terrorism chief hosted a party attended by one of the Bali bombers.
Indonesia's anti-terror chief, Brigadier-General Surya Dharma, said the party was in line with a new "gentle" approach to fighting terrorism, which aims to build a web of paid informants and former militants to help persuade hard-liners to change sides and reject terrorism.
Prime Minister John Howard today said he would ensure a formal complaint was lodged with Indonesia.
"I will certainly see that there is an objection communicated," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
When asked for his reaction to the party, Mr Howard said he was "disgusted".
"Absolutely disgusted."
Mr Howard said the party was not representative of the broader Indonesian approach to fighting Islamic militants.
"We do have a good relationship with Indonesia, and President (Susilo Bambang) Yudhoyono is a good man and a good friend of Australia.
"That doesn't mean I'm not entitled to express outrage at this kind of thing, because I know how the families of these people (the victims) will be feeling."
Today is the fifth anniversary of the Bali bombings which killed 202 people including 88 Australians.
Mr Howard said the idea that the bombers should be treated as equals by Brigadier-General Dharma because of their shared Muslim faith was absurd.
"We get a lot of lectures from minority religious groups about displaying sensitivity to them. Can I say that that sort of thing, justified as it apparently has been on some kind of religious affinity, is so offensive ... as to really upset people who are still grieving over the loss of their loved ones."
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