Three states warn RI of terror attack
Three states warn RI of terror attack
Agencies, Jakarta/Sydney/London
At least three countries -- Australia, Britain and New Zealand --
warned on Wednesday that they had received credible intelligence
suggesting an imminent terrorist strike on an Indonesian target,
possibly a large hotel.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani, however, toned
down the fears, saying police had already stepped up security in
Jakarta and other towns and cities across the country over
Christmas and New Year.
Australia said on Wednesday a terrorist attack could be
carried out soon in Indonesia, possibly targeting Western
establishments such as hotels.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the
information was based on credible intelligence.
"We have had advice of a possible terrorist attack on ...
(Western) hotels, so we would urge Australians over the next
period to keep well clear of these sorts of establishments,"
Downer said.
In Wellington, New Zealanders were also warned on Wednesday
against traveling to Indonesia, including Bali, over Christmas
and New Year after that government received reports that
terrorists were planning an attack.
A revised travel advisory issued by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade urged New Zealanders to defer tourist and non-
essential travel to Indonesia until further notice.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office in London warned on Wednesday
that Britons traveling to Indonesia over Christmas and the New
Year faced a "heightened risk" of terrorist attacks.
Attacks "could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia and
could be directed against locations frequented by tourists", a
Foreign Office spokeswoman said.
U.S. Embassy spokesman Max Kwak, on the other hand, said the
Jakarta mission had issued no such warnings.
Two-thirds of the 25,000-strong police force had been deployed
in Jakarta and its outskirts to ensure security, Insp. Gen.
Firman said.
"The (Jakarta Police) chief ordered us on Monday to beef up
security one week ahead of Dec. 25 for the Christmas and New Year
holidays. Since receiving the news on the travel warning, he has
ordered that we deploy now," Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr.
Tjiptono said at an impromptu press conference.
"We have ordered the managements of shopping malls and hotels
to carry out standard security checks," he said.
Tjiptono added that the public should not worry, as police
were prepared to guarantee their safety.
"All our intelligence personnel have been working hard to
gather any shred of information on terrorist attacks," he said.
Indonesia witnessed it worst terror bombing on Oct. 12, 2002,
in Bali, when over 202 people, mostly Australian holidaymakers,
were killed.
Most recently, a car bomb outside the Australian Embassy in
Jakarta killed 11 people and wounded more than 180 on Sept. 9.
Indonesian police have blamed the bombings on Jamaah Islamiyah
(JI), considered the regional arm of al-Qaeda.
The JI was also blamed for bomb attacks on churches across
Indonesia on Christmas Eve in 2000 that killed 19 people and an
attack at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last year that killed
12.