Gelbard seeks police protection for U.S. citizens and facilities

JAKARTA (JP): U.S. ambassador to Indonesia Robert S. Gelbard visited the National Police Headquarters on Friday to request a security guarantee for American citizens and facilities in the country, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi said later in the day.

Didi confirmed that Gelbard met with National Police secretary-general Comr. Gen. Yun Mulyana on Friday morning, as National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro is currently on a working visit to Budapest, Hungary.

During the meeting, Didi said Gelbard requested a security guarantee for U.S. residents and facilities from recent threats declared by extremist groups.

Didi said the National Police would use repressive measures against those proved to have made threats and would implement preventative action by tightening security on vital U.S. assets, including the U.S. Embassy and the ambassador's official residence.

"We don't want U.S. residents to feel insecure or that we're not protecting them," Didi said.

On Wednesday, radical Islamic groups in Indonesia, including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) threatened to raid U.S. facilities and expel American citizens if Washington attacked Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on Sept. 11, which have resulted in nearly 6,000 people being reported dead or missing.

FPI chairman Habib Muhammad Rizieq Syihab renewed the threats on Thursday.

"FPI leaders are all intellectuals but I'm afraid FPI members at the grassroots level are not. What if they meet an American on the street and then beat and abduct him? That's what we want to prevent by carrying out these actions," Habib said after meeting with Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb, who visited the group's headquarters in the Petamburan area of Central Jakarta.

Asked to comment on the remark, Sofjan said he doubted that the group would really do such things, which were against the law.

Police said at least 500 police personnel, including sharpshooters, had been deployed to safeguard foreign embassies and international organizations' offices.

Earlier on the day, around 70 students grouped in the Indonesian Muslim Students (PII) organization staged a protest outside the U.S. Embassy.

While repeatedly chanting Allahu Akbar (God is Great), the students also unfurled banners on which were written "Save the Afghanistan Muslims," "UN where are you?" "Jews, actors behind the WTC tragedy." They then continued their protest at the U.N. building.

Following the wave of anti-U.S. protests staged by Muslim groups in several cities throughout the country, the U.S. Embassy has advised Americans to take security precautions. It also said the U.S. government had information that extremist elements might target the diplomatic mission and other U.S. interests in Indonesia.

Others, such as the Australian Embassy, have also issued warnings to their citizens living in Indonesia. (emf)