Indonesian officials "covered up and then neglected" an epidemic

Indonesian officials "covered up and then neglected" an epidemic of avian influenza in poultry for two years, allowing it to spread among flocks and then to people, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. The newspaper quoted an Indonesian microbiologist as saying authorities argued about whether the virus killing chickens was in fact H5N1, and then tried to deal with it quietly. As a result, the virus spread for two years, with little public word until it began infecting people. H5N1 bird flu has killed four people in Indonesia. "If the government had acted sooner to stamp it out, there would be no outbreak. They have wasted so much time," the newspaper quoted Indonesian microbiologist Chairul Nidom as saying. The newspaper also quoted Indonesia's former national director of animal health, Tri Satya Putri Naipospos, as saying chickens began dying from H5N1 in Indonesia in 2003 but the government covered it up because of lobbying from the poultry industry. Naipospos was fired from her job in September. The officials quoted by the Post said Indonesia did precisely what public health experts had feared. In January 2004, Nidom publicly announced his findings about H5NI and Indonesia's Agriculture Ministry did as well. Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said the Indonesian government considered bird flu a matter of great concern. -- Reuters

Bush urges Abbas to fight terror

President George W. Bush said on Thursday the Palestinian Authority must reject and fight terrorism for the Middle East peace process to be able to move forward. Speaking at a joint news conference after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House, Bush said the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank had created new opportunities and responsibilities for the Palestinians. "The way forward must begin by confronting the threat that armed gangs pose to a genuinely democratic Palestine," Bush said. "In the short term the Palestinian Authority must ... earn the confidence of its neighbors by rejecting and fighting terrorism," he said. -- Reuters

Four terror suspects get bail in UK

Four international terrorism suspects facing deportation from Britain were granted bail on Thursday, a Home Office spokesman said. Those freed did not include cleric Abu Qatada, the spokesman added. Abu Qatada, who British authorities say inspired Islamic militants including the Sept. 11 bombers who attacked the United States in 2001, is the highest profile member of the group threatened with deportation. Britain has announced plans to deport foreign Islamic militant suspects in a new policy imposed after suicide bombers killed 52 passengers and themselves in attacks on London transportation facilities in July. -- Reuters