Security across Asia's key spots tightened

Security across Asia's key spots tightened

Agence France-Presse, Islamabad

A security clampdown descended on cities across Asia on Friday as authorities sought to prevent anger over the Iraq war boiling over into violence and possible terrorist attacks.

Police, paramilitaries and armies tightened control of key installations, embassies and other potential targets as many nations upped their threat-of-attack levels.

And citizens and business interests of the U.S., Britain and Australia -- the three leading nations in the "coalition of the willing" prosecuting the war -- were told to remain alert against attack.

Security was particularly tight around Islamabad and other majority-Muslim cities where rising Islamist anger over the war risked finding vent in large-scale demonstrations and rallies.

Embassy representatives and Pakistani police chiefs met to discuss strategies Friday, and heavy police and paramilitary contingents were stationed in the diplomatic enclave of the capital. Extra patrols were also circulating around other neighborhoods where diplomats live.

Throughout Pakistan officers have been stationed outside mosques, temples, churches and key government installations, where closed circuit cameras have also been set up.

Aerial surveillance has been ordered after traditional Friday prayers, when protests are expected in all major cities throughout the country.

In Pakistan's largest and most violent city, Karachi, massive containers were placed across roads leading to the U.S. consulate and other missions to block traffic. .

The U.S. has already urged its nationals to leave the country and has sent all non-essential diplomatic staff home and closed its diplomatic missions.

In Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, off-duty officers have been put on call and their presence has been strengthened at key embassies.

The British embassy in particular raised its threat level, upgrading an earlier warning that Westerners were likely to face harassment from extremists after receiving information "that indicates extremists may be planning additional attacks targeting Western interests and may take advantage of heightened tensions over Iraq to launch an attack."

Singapore authorities had "stepped up their vigilance" Friday after Defense Minister Tony Tan said the risk of terrorist attacks in Singapore has increased following the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Singapore, part of the global coalition backing the U.S. attack, has made facilities available to U.S. forces during the campaign and granted overflight rights.

The safety of the city's port, one of the biggest and busiest in the world, is of chief concern. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has restricted the movements of pleasure craft in the harbor and ordered certain tankers and harbor tugs to provide advance notice before moving within port waters.

"It is not safe to wait until an attack happens before taking the necessary security measures," Tan said.

Police patrols have been increased at potential targets, soldiers have reinforced security at military and some civilian installations, and 100 percent checks on all vehicles, passengers and baggage at a land border checkpoint with Malaysia have been introduced.

Philippine security officials have already swooped on potential terrorists, deporting 11 Iraqis after they exposed an alleged plot by Saddam Hussein sympathizers to attack U.S. installations in the country.

Among those arrested was Saad Khahamatar T'laa, a suspect in the 1991 attempted bombing of a U.S. cultural center.

He was picked up two days ago in the southern Philippines where insurgents are fighting for an Islamic homeland and where authorities on Friday said rebels had issued orders to their troops to step up attacks.

Elsewhere, stepped-up police and paramilitary deployments -- especially around U.S. consular buildings -- were clearly visible. In Hanoi, security personnel guarded diplomatic areas and in Beijing, several embassy gates had been chained shut.

Although Hong Kong's security chief Regina Ip reiterated on Thursday that she didn't believe the territory was at threat of attack, businesses still stepped up identification checks and travelers reported seeing more armed guards at the airport.