Boyce holds meetings amid 'worsening security'<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Amid reports of escalating threats against United States
\ndiplomats in Indonesia, Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce has held a
\nseries of meetings with high-ranking Indonesian officials,
\napparently to highlight U.S. security concerns.<\/p>\n
After meeting with Coordinating Minister for Political and
\nSecurity Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Indonesian Military
\n(TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto earlier this week, Boyce
\nmet Friday with Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda.<\/p>\n
The series of meetings appears to confirm the report released
\nby The Asian Wall Street Journal Friday which in part said that
\nthe U.S. embassy may begin to evacuate non-essential embassy
\nstaff in Indonesia for security reasons.<\/p>\n
Against this backdrop, the U.S. State Department released on
\nThursday a \"worldwide caution\" public announcement regarding \"the
\ncontinuing threat of terrorist actions\" in light of the recent
\naudio tape attributed to Osama bin Laden.<\/p>\n
The report also revealed that Washington now considers the
\ncurrent grenade blast near the U.S. embassy residence in Jakarta
\nas targeting American officials and ordered by Indonesian Muslim
\ncleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who has been accused of operating a
\nterrorist group in Southeast Asia called Jemaah Islamiyah.<\/p>\n
Boyce, after meeting with Hassan, refused to touch the
\nevacuation issue and simply stated that the U.S. government
\nexpected a \"good conclusion\" out of the ongoing investigation
\ninto the blast.<\/p>\n
\"Because the grenade went off near the U.S. embassy residence,
\nof course we are concerned and we convey this concern to the
\nIndonesian authorities,\" Boyce said<\/p>\n
A grenade exploded near the U.S. embassy residence on Sept.
\n23, and the police have arrested two men as suspects in the
\nincident, while a third suspect died in the blast.<\/p>\n
Soon after the explosion, police and the U.S. embassy said
\nthat there was no indication American officials were targeted and
\nit was a debt collection gone awry.<\/p>\n
However, during his statement Friday, Boyce indicated the
\nearlier assumption was wrong and the incident may have targeted
\nAmerican officials.<\/p>\n
Also on Friday, National Police Spokesman Insp.Gen. Saleh Saaf
\nsaid that the investigation has yet to link the incident with Abu
\nBakar.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government has continued to react strongly to
\nperceived security conditions in Indonesia, issuing a five-day
\nshutdown order last month for the embassy and a travel warning
\nfor Yogyakarta and Surakarta.<\/p>\n
An official at the Indonesian foreign ministry told The
\nJakarta Post that the U.S. may be worried about a possible
\nbacklash should they launch an attack against Iraq before the
\nbeginning of the Muslim fasting month on Nov.7.<\/p>\n
The official said the attack against Iraq may provide
\njustification for so-called terrorist groups to threaten the
\nsafety of the American officials here.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/boyce-holds-meetings-amid-worsening-security-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}