Religious, youth leaders warn of anti-U.S. backlash

Religious, youth leaders warn of anti-U.S. backlash

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Leaders of religious and youth groups are asking the United
States to stop spreading what they consider to be black
propaganda against Indonesia, warning that such propaganda will
only create widespread resentment against Washington.

They also demanded that the U.S. provided clear, solid proof
of its recent claims that terrorist cells were operating in
Indonesia and that they were threatening the lives of foreigners
in the country.

"Should this action continue, there will be resentment against
the U.S., even the moderate Muslim groupings will resist them,"
Hasyim Muzadi, the chairman of the country's largest Muslim
organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), was quoted by Antara as
saying over the weekend.

Hasyim said a recent report from the CIA, which was published
by Time magazine, and included allegations of a plan plot against
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, was propaganda aimed at
tarnishing the image of the country's Muslim community.

Eight social groupings expressed a similar sentiment on
Sunday, saying that the U.S. allegation made Indonesia look like
a terrorist haven.

"We reject these allegations, which make the country look like
a center of terrorist activities," Hidayat Nur Wahid of the
Muslim-based Justice Party (PK) said during a media briefing
Sunday.

The press conference was called after a meeting attended by
Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) chairman Adhyaksa
Dault, Catholic Youth Movement chairman Nico Uskono, Indonesian
Nationalist Student's Movement (GMNI) secretary-general Viktus
Murin, Mutual Aid Family Conference (MKGR) head Ariza Patria,
Indonesian Red and White Front (GMMPI) leader Irvin Roesidi and
the chairman of Ansor, the NU's youth-wing, Muchtar Hadyo.

In the wake of the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 tragedy,
the U.S. government alerted its citizens twice regarding possible
threats against Americans living in Indonesia.

It also decided to close its embassy in Jakarta and consulate
general in Surabaya, East Java, because of what it called
"specific terrorist threats".

On Friday, the U.S. embassy issued another warning to its
citizens in Yogyakarta, a move quickly followed by its allies,
the United Kingdom and Canada.

"We have heard reports that there is a credible threat to the
security of Westerners in the Yogyakarta and Solo areas. British
nationals are advised to keep a low profile and avoid public
areas as much as possible," the British Embassy stated on its
website.

The warning, however, failed to affect tourism activity in
Yogyakarta, which is one of the country's prime tourist centers.

Jakarta has been steeping up its efforts to curb alleged
terrorist cells in the country, including the recent arrest of
Omar al-Faruq and a German citizen of Arab-descent.

However, security officers have so far found no strong
indications that terrorist cells are a threat to foreigners
living in Indonesia.

Representing the Muslim groups, lawyer Mahendradatta gave
assurances on Sunday that there would be no threats against
American citizens and that Muslim groups in the country had no
links to any terrorist groups.

"I guarantee there will be no American citizens or other
foreigners harmed in Indonesia by my clients," Mahendradatta told
The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

He was speaking on behalf of Muslim clerics such as Abu Bakar
Ba'asyir, Habib Rizieq, and Jaffar Umar Thalib, who are
considered as anti-American leaders.

"My clients are against the U.S. government's foreign policy,
not U.S. citizens," he remarked.

Separately, Vice President Hamzah Haz said that if the U.S.
government could provide legal proof against these Muslim groups,
he would be the first person to put them in jail.

"I will order the arrest of these Muslim clerics if there is
any proof of the allegations," he remarked during a visit to
Central Java on Sunday.