Hanif and Agus Maryono

Hanif and Agus Maryono
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Militant Muslim activists staged the biggest anti-US rally
here to date since the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States as
the government promised to get tough on unruly protests on
Friday.

Smaller scale demonstrations also took place in Yogyakarta,
Central Java and West Java -- all condemning the U.S. plan to
attack Afghanistan.

In Jakarta, about 3,000 Muslims from various universities and
organizations including the Indonesian Islamic Youth Movement and
Inter-University Muslim Association (Hammas), gathered at Hotel
Indonesia traffic circle in the heart of the city.

The demonstrators initially gathered outside the U.S. Embassy
on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan, where they burned an American flag
and an effigy of U.S. President George W. Bush.

More than 100 riot police tightly guarded the premises.
Tension developed when the police blocked attempts of protesters
to approach the compound.

In anticipation of violence, the police also readied water
cannons.

Separately, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that security forces would
take firm action against violent protests.

The noisy demonstrators chanted anti-America slogans,
criticizing Washington's policy on the Middle East before moving
to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.

Protesters, calling themselves the United Movement of
Indonesian Islamic Students, carried banners which read "The real
terrorists are the U.S. and Israel". Another depicting President
George W. Bush was captioned "Wanted: George W. Bush Commander of
Crusade for crimes against God and humanity. Reward: heaven."

Some 200 of the protesters broke off from the main group and
staged a demonstration at the nearby British Embassy on Jl. Sutan
Sjahrir.

They banged on the embassy's gate before about 50 police
personnel on duty managed to disperse the protesters who chanted
abusive slogans against the British government, America's closest
ally.

An anti-U.S. protest in the Central Java town of Purwokerto
was held by 150 activists of Islamic Students Solidarity for a
Muslim World, a loose grouping of various Islamic student'
movements.

They marched from their campuses to the local legislative
council and state-run radio RRI Purwokerto, demanding that
Indonesia stop cooperation with the U.S. and concentrate on more
pressing domestic problems.

In Bandung, Muslim youths of Hammas vented their anger on
State Minister for Tourism and Culture I Gede Ardika. They were
angered at Ardika's statement that anti-U.S. demonstrations and
sweeps on U.S. citizens had a negative impact on tourism in
Indonesia.

They marched to the local tourism office and the Islamic
Propagation Center where they distributed pamphlets criticizing
U.S. policy on the Middle East. They dispersed peacefully.

Tension in Bandung has compelled Holiday Inn Hotel in Bandung
to hold an emergency drill.

Yuli Tri Suwarni contributed to the story