Indonesia deplores plane attacks on U.S.
Indonesia deplores plane attacks on U.S.
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda
describes the World Trade Center bombing in Manhattan, New York
and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. as a "brutal" and "inhuman"
act.
"I really deplore the bombing. I called U.S. Secretary of
State Colin Powell (by phone) in the States but in such a
situation they must be consolidating their operations," Hassan
told Antara news agency here on Tuesday.
Hassan reiterated that the bombing was an inhuman act and an
affront to humanity.
The World Trade Center towers collapsed after two aircraft
struck them early on Tuesday within minutes of each other while
explosions rocked the Pentagon and the State Department.
Separately, a source told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday night
that President Megawati Soekarnoputri was likely to cancel her
scheduled visit to Washington on Sept. 17.
"A decision will be taken in a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday),"
the source who refused to be named said.
Megawati met with Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Adm.
Widodo at her residence on Jl. Teuku Umar Tuesday night.
The United States Embassy in Jakarta would be closed on
Wednesday, Antara news agency quoted Anto, an embassy staff
member as saying.
Security protection around the United States Embassy and the
residence of Ambassador Robert S. Gelbard was reinforced on
Tuesday night. Fully-armed police were seen on alert at the two
locations.
Separately, the number of calls to the United States increased
dramatically on Tuesday night soon after the bombing.
"We are very busy tonight. Virtually every minute there is a
request for a connection. It is not the case on normal days,"
said Baedi, a Telkom telephone operator told the Post.
The bombing also caused confusion among Indonesian parents
whose children are studying in the U.S.
Marijani, a housewife, was trying to contact relatives in
Jakarta who might know the whereabouts of her son.
"He is studying in Hawaii, but he likes traveling to the
mainland. Who knows he may be in Washington or New York now,"
Marijani told the Post, adding that she already tried to contact
him several times, but there was no response. (dja/hbk)