RI seeks united ASEAN action against terrorism
RI seeks united ASEAN action against terrorism
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia called on fellow members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday to join
hands in fighting international terrorism.
Speaking to reporters on her flight home from a whirlwind tour
of nine ASEAN capitals, Megawati said the region should forge
cooperation on ways to handle the threats of terrorism and
illegal arms trade across the region.
"We need to prevent the spread of terrorism," she said in a
media briefing on board a Garuda plane from Kuala Lumpur.
She emphasized the need for all top intelligence officers of
the 10 ASEAN governments to meet before the ASEAN leaders held
their summit in Bandar Sri Begawan in November.
Megawati discussed the threat of international terrorism with
several leaders during her tour of ASEAN capitals.
The head of Indonesia's National Intelligence Agency (BIN),
A.M. Hendropriyono, admitted last week that Indonesia had become
vulnerable to the activities of international terrorist groups,
although he did not name any particular organization.
Hendropriyono said given that such organizations usually
worked with local groups, the government's counter-terrorist
operations should aim at these local terrorist organizations.
The governments of the United States, Britain and Australia in
their travel warnings have cautioned their citizens living in or
visiting Indonesia of the possibility of them being targeted by
international terrorist organizations.
The Malaysian Police this month arrested one of its citizens
in Kuala Lumpur on accusations that he planted the explosives
that went off at Atrium Plaza, a busy shopping mall in Central
Jakarta on Aug. 1.
Six people were injured in the blast, including the man who
was later arrested by the Malaysian authorities on his return.
The authorities said the suspect was a member of the Malaysian
Mujahidin Group, a radical Muslim group.
Visiting British Foreign Minister Ben Bradshaw meanwhile said
the travel warning, which remains in force, was not intended to
discourage Britons, including investors, from coming to
Indonesia.
"We are not advising anyone against travel to Indonesia. We
are simply advising our citizens to be on guard as they go about
their business and travel," he told a media briefing held at the
British Council.
Bradshaw, who ended his three-day visit on Tuesday and was
heading for East Timor, defended the decision by the British
Embassy in Jakarta to block the access road leading to the
embassy as a precaution against a possible terrorist attack.
Admitting that the measure had inconvenienced some people, he
insisted that the barrier was erected with the consent of the
Indonesian authorities.
Both the Jakarta government and police have publicly professed
ignorance about the road block, saying they were never asked by
the British Embassy.
"These arrangements are considered necessary and we have the
goodwill of the Indonesian government in implementing them,"
Bradshaw said. (dja/07)