Australians ready for RI Xmas despite warning<\/p>\n
Agencies, Jakarta\/Sydney, Australia<\/p>\n
Thousands of Australians are preparing to spend Christmas in
\nIndonesia, particularly on the resort island of Bali, despite
\ntravel warnings from their government.<\/p>\n
Bali was the target of a terrorist attack that claimed at
\nleast 202 lives, including 88 Australian holidaymakers, in
\nOctober 2002.<\/p>\n
Australian travel agencies and airlines reported few
\ncancellations, although the Department of Foreign Affairs and
\nTrade (DFAT) had issued a warning that it had credible
\nintelligence of a potential attack in Indonesia, possibly
\ntargeting a Western hotel.<\/p>\n
Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty said the perpetrators
\nof the September bombing targeting the Australian Embassy in
\nJakarta had originally been planning a second strike at the
\ncity's JW Marriott Hotel.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda
\nregretted Australia's going public about the threats instead of
\ninforming the Indonesian police of a possible terror attack.<\/p>\n
\"If they have credible information, they should have shared it
\nwith the National Police. Both countries have already had good
\ncooperation in (combating) terrorism since the Bali bombing,\"
\nHassan told reporters on Friday.<\/p>\n
While acknowledging that the travel advisory did not prohibit
\nAustralian tourists from traveling to Bali and merely warned them
\nagainst travel, he said Australia's move would be disadvantageous
\nto bilateral cooperation in fighting terrorism.<\/p>\n
\"Issuing a travel warning is not beneficial in our cooperation
\nagainst terrorism. These warnings will benefit the terror groups,
\nbecause people are afraid to travel,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, in Vanuatu for
\ntalks with its new government, said it would be a national
\nscandal if the government had information about a potential
\nterror attack and decided not to pass it on to the people.<\/p>\n
Downer also rejected claims that Australia did not adequately
\ndisseminate the warning to top Indonesian officials, and said it
\nwas still up to Australians in Indonesia to decide what to do.<\/p>\n
\"People in the hotel and people in Jakarta should generally be
\naware of the threats,\" Downer told ABC Radio from Port Vila.<\/p>\n
Keelty said in Brisbane that he supported the decision by
\nDowner to issue the warning.<\/p>\n
He said a federal police team had been working in Indonesia on
\nthe attacks in Bali, last year's Marriott Hotel blast that killed
\n12 and the embassy blast that claimed 11, and knew much more
\nabout local terrorist groups than it did two years ago.<\/p>\n
Keelty added police had knowledge of some attacks, but without
\nprecise details.<\/p>\n
Britain, Japan, New Zealand and the United States also issued
\ntheir own warnings, but did not mention probable targets.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australians-ready-for-ri-xmas-despite-warning-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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