U.S. warns of possible terror attacks, kidnapping

U.S. warns of possible terror attacks, kidnapping

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The United States renewed on Friday its warning of possible
terrorist attacks in Indonesia and possible kidnapping by the
Philippine Abu Sayyaf group in the border areas of Indonesia.

Jakarta criticized the warning saying that it is a "bit
excessive" to say that the Abu Sayyaf group may have operated in
Indonesia. However, the travel warning from the U.S. Department
of State only warned that the group had the operational
capability to carry out kidnapping in Indonesia.

The renewed advisory underlined that the potential threats
against American citizens and other foreigners remain despite the
arrest of terrorist suspects by the Indonesian police.

"The potential remains throughout Indonesia for violence and
terrorist actions against U.S. citizens and interests," the
warning underlined.

Aside from the activities of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI)
terrorist network in the Southeast Asia region including
Indonesia, Washington also warned of possible abductions by the
Philippine's separatist guerrillas, the Abu Sayyaf.

"There is a risk of kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist
group in the border areas of Indonesia, near Malaysia and the
Philippines.

"The Abu Sayyaf has previously carried out kidnappings in
Malaysia and the Philippines and the group has the operational
capability to do so in Indonesia also," the advisory said.

The spokesman of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Marty Natalegawa, criticized Washington for the statement saying
that there was no record of an intrusion of Abu Sayyaf members
into Indonesia.

"They have never operated in Indonesia. The warning is a bit
excessive and made based only on the geographical proximity of
Indonesia and the Philippines," Marty said in a press conference.

He underlined that there has never been any abduction of
foreigners in Indonesia by the Philippine separatist group.

Spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta Stanley Harsha said
that there was nothing special about the renewed warning as the
U.S. government reviewed its travel advisory from time to time.

"We periodically review the warning, and we revised the Aug.
28 travel warning for Indonesia in order to make it consistent
with the travel notices for Malaysia and the Philippines because
Malaysia and the Philippines always get travel notices over
kidnapping in border areas," he remarked.

Due to the geographical proximity and similar ideology, the
Abu Sayyaf group has been said to have links with a number of
militant groups in Indonesia.

Indonesian convicted terrorist Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi, who
escaped from a police detention center in Manila earlier last
month, was said to have escaped with the help of the Abu Sayyaf
group.

However, there has not been any solid evidence to support the
allegations of possible links between Abu Sayyaf with any
militant groups in Indonesia.

In the updated travel warning, Washington reiterated its
warning of possible additional attacks against softer targets
such as housing compounds, shopping malls and other recreational
areas.

Citing the Aug. 5 bombing in JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta,
Washington advised its citizens to defer all non-essential travel
to Indonesia.

It also advised its citizens in Indonesia to keep a low
profile and avoid conflict areas such as war-torn Nanggroe Aceh
Darussalam and Papua provinces.