Terrorist threat a concern in RI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A senior U.S. official warned on Saturday of
\ninternational terrorists entering Indonesia amid the increasing
\nflow of illegal Middle Eastern immigrants to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Visiting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and
\nPacific Affairs James Andrew Kelly said that regional terrorism
\ncould be logically linked to an influx of illegal immigrants to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government has said that international terrorists
\nhave targeted their interests and their citizens in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"People from the Middle East are now here in Indonesia. It is
\neasy for people all around the world to move around, so the U.S.
\nhave some reasons to be concerned and to alert U.S. citizens,\" he
\ntold a media conference.<\/p>\n
Over 1,000 illegal immigrants, mostly from the Middle East,
\nhave been detained in various places across Indonesia. In the
\nlatest high profile incident, 460 mostly Afghan people have been
\nstranded in the Indian Ocean on a Norwegian freighter, which
\nrescued them after the boat they hired from Indonesia got into
\ndifficulty.<\/p>\n
Added Kelly: \"I don't think I am going to use the word
\nimminent...It has got nothing to do with the condition in
\nIndonesia, but it has with terrorism around the world,\" the
\nofficial announced.<\/p>\n
Terrorism in Indonesia came to the fore after the U.S. Embassy
\nin Jakarta issued last month a warning to American citizens
\npossible attacks by \"extremist elements\".<\/p>\n
The U.S. government believes that there are increasing threats
\nto their interests, including those in Indonesia who regard the
\nUnited Kingdom as a secondary target.<\/p>\n
A similar warning was also issued by the British Embassy here,
\na few days after the U.S. Embassy's announcement.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has pledged to mobilize its
\nintelligence force to counter terrorism.<\/p>\n
Kelly called on a common stance to seriously address terrorist
\nproblems in the East Asian region, including Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"There are very different kinds of threats in Asia, because in
\nthe region, without warning... major hostility could begin in a
\nway not comparable to Europe,\" Kelly said in a media briefing.<\/p>\n
\"I am not saying that we should be alarmed but we are to note
\nthis as a more serious matter and require a different a sort of
\nconcern,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
The U.S. official ended his two-day visit to Jakarta on
\nSaturday, during which he had met with President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, Vice President Hamzah Haz and several ministers.<\/p>\n
\"I want to repeat the invitation from President George W. Bush
\nto President Megawati to meet him on Sept. 19... and once again
\nto state that we support the territorial integrity, stability and
\npeace in Indonesia,\" he said. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/terrorist-threat-a-concern-in-ri-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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