RI not a terrorist country: U.S. Embassy<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The U.S. Embassy denied on Friday labeling Indonesia a
\nterrorist country but stressed that Indonesia, like other
\ncountries, could become a terrorist target.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government also denied having prior knowledge of last
\nweek's attack in Bali but admitted it had issued warnings to
\nAmerican citizens to stay out of several holiday sites in certain
\ncountries before the deadly incident occurred, Greta N. Morris, a
\ncounselor at the U.S. Embassy, was quoted by Antara as saying on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
\"We had no knowledge that there would be an incident like
\nthis,\" said Morris.<\/p>\n
\"We (the U.S. government) did give warnings to our citizens of
\nterrorist threats in some tourist destinations, not just in
\nIndonesia. We'd given them (the warnings) to our citizens all
\nover the world, but we did not know anything whatsoever about the
\nBali attacks.\"<\/p>\n
The statement contradicted earlier remarks by other U.S.
\nofficials who said they had given strong warnings to Indonesia of
\nthe possibility of terrorist attacks if the country refused to
\ntake sterner actions against terrorism.<\/p>\n
Morris suggested, however, that such a warning to the
\nIndonesian government came only because the U.S. Embassy had been
\nthe target of several threats.<\/p>\n
Morris' statement also came at a time when the U.S. Embassy
\nbegan the evacuation of 350 non-emergency staff and their
\nfamilies in Indonesia in the aftermath of the Bali attack and
\nseveral terrorists threats received by its embassy in recent
\nweeks.<\/p>\n
On Sept. 23, an embassy warehouse in Central Jakarta was
\ntargeted by grenade-wielding assailants, who accidentally blew up
\ntheir own car. The embassy was closed for a week last month after
\nreceiving terrorist threats days before the anniversary of the
\nSept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
Morris added the U.S. had so far lost two of its citizens in
\nlast week's blast and the number was likely to increase.<\/p>\n
\"There could be more (than two), because there are victims
\nthat were injured badly, not to mention those who went missing,\"
\nMorris said, adding that the U.S. has also sent five medical
\ndoctors to give assistance to the local hospitals.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government also denied labeling Indonesia a terrorist
\ncountry, said Morris.<\/p>\n
\"It is our commitment to fight against terrorism,\" Morris said
\nas quoted by Indonesian diplomat Dino Patti Djalal following a
\nmeeting with leaders of various youth organizations.<\/p>\n
Present at the meeting here were leaders of Muhammadiyah
\nMuslim youth organization, Ansor, a youth organization under
\nNahdlatul Ulama and a Catholic youth organization.<\/p>\n
U.S. Ambassador Ralph Boyce was scheduled to attend the meting
\nbut failed to show up and sent Morris and political counselor
\nBrian Nichols instead, Antara said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian youth leaders repeated an earlier call for the
\nU.S. to avoid linking terrorism with a certain religion, said
\nDino.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-not-a-terrorist-country-us-embassy-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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