U.S. closes missions after 'specific terrorist threat'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The United States closed its diplomatic missions in Indonesia
\nindefinitely on Tuesday over an alleged al Qaeda-linked terrorist
\nthreat, a move that has startled many senior government
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
\"We are shocked by their (U.S.) unilateral decision to close
\nthe embassy and consulate over a terror threat,\" Coordinating
\nMinister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono told a press conference here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"It would have been better if they (the U.S.) had informed us
\nabout the threat before making such a sensitive decision,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
U.S. officials were also forced to shut down diplomatic
\nmissions in Malaysia, while officials in Pakistan, the
\nPhilippines, South Korea, Thailand and elsewhere bolstered
\nsecurity around U.S. installations.<\/p>\n
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce said Tuesday that
\ncredible information about a terrorist threat had forced his
\ngovernment to close indefinitely its embassy in Jakarta and
\nconsulate general in Surabaya, East Java.<\/p>\n
\"While al-Qaeda is on the run, we know that the al-Qaeda
\nnetwork is still far from defeated,\" Boyce said.<\/p>\n
\"We received another graphic example of that in just the past
\nfew hours, with the news about credible information about a
\nspecific terrorist threat against our embassy in Jakarta and the
\nconsulate general in Surabaya,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Boyce refused to explain the nature of the threat, who made it
\nand when it was received but promised \"to work closely with the
\nIndonesian authorities to deal with the situation\".<\/p>\n
He said he could understand why there might be skepticism in
\nthe absence of details about the threat.<\/p>\n
\"But if information is compelling enough for me to make the
\ncall to close the embassy, I'll do it and I did it,\" he said,
\ndescribing the threat as \"more than an anonymous e-mail or a
\nphoned-in bomb threat.\"<\/p>\n
Security outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta and its consulate
\ngeneral in Surabaya appeared normal throughout Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The closures came just a day before the first anniversary of
\nthe Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., widely believed to
\nhave been perpetrated by Islamic extremist Osama bin Laden and
\nhis international terrorist network, al-Qaeda.<\/p>\n
The embassy also urged American citizens in Indonesia to be
\nextremely cautious, maintain a high level of vigilance, take
\nappropriate steps to reduce vulnerability and avoid facilities
\nassociated with the U.S. embassy.<\/p>\n
It also canceled a memorial service planned for Wednesday
\nevening at the US-owned Marriott hotel to commemorate the
\nterrorist attacks on New York and Washington.<\/p>\n
Minister Susilo lamented what he termed a unilateral decision,
\nsaying that the closures would give the false impression that
\nIndonesia was incapable of ensuring the security of foreigners
\nand their assets here.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa
\nregretted the decision, saying that his ministry had never
\nreceived any official notification from the U.S. about the
\nclosures.<\/p>\n
\"Jakarta has repeatedly said that it will ensure the safety of
\nforeign assets and citizens in the country. I do not see any
\nreason for the U.S. to make such a decision,\" Marty said.<\/p>\n
Noted Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra said the closures implied
\nthat Indonesia failed to provide security for foreigners and that
\nterrorists were at large across the country.<\/p>\n
The closures, according to Azyumardi, were the product of an
\n\"exaggerated fear\" on the part of the United States about the
\nalleged existence of the al-Qaeda network in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The embassy has been closed three times over the past two
\nyears for security reasons.<\/p>\n
The first closure came just two days after the Sept. 11
\nattacks.<\/p>\n
Last October, it closed again amid mounting demonstrations by
\nhard-line Muslims who threatened to destroy American assets.<\/p>\n
In November 2000, the embassy also shut down amid security
\nfears and militant pledges to \"sweep\" Americans out of the
\ncountry amid growing antipathy to then U.S. ambassador, Robert
\nGelbard, among certain Cabinet ministers and legislators.<\/p>\n
The U.S. and its allies suspect that Indonesia, the world's
\nlargest Muslim country, could become a hotbed for sympathizers of
\nal-Qaeda despite the fact that most Indonesians practice a
\nmoderate brand of Islam.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Australian government has also urged its
\ncitizens in Southeast Asia to be on high alert following an
\nunconfirmed threat to Australian interests in East Timor on the
\neve of the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-closes-missions-after-specific-terrorist-threat-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}