U.S. warns of possible war retaliation in RI

U.S. warns of possible war retaliation in RI

Agence France-Presse, Washington

The United States on Saturday renewed its existing terrorism- related warning for U.S. citizens to avoid travel to Indonesia and consider leaving if already there due to possible retaliatory attacks for the war in Iraq.

The State Department, echoing concerns first raised by the U.S. and British embassies in Jakarta on Thursday and Friday, said the conflict in Iraq would likely inflame anger in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.

"As a result of the military action in Iraq, Indonesia's frequent political demonstrations may escalate, increasing the potential for anti-American violence and for terrorist actions against U.S. citizens and interests," it said in a statement.

"The U.S. embassy in Jakarta has received credible information that extremist elements may be planning additional attacks targeting U.S. interests in Indonesia, particularly U.S. government officials and facilities," it said.

"All U.S. citizens in Indonesia are urged to take into account (this) information ... and consider departing the country."

But the statement made no mention of a specific Australian alert, issued earlier Saturday, which warned that anti-Western groups may be planning a "terrorist" attack in Indonesia's second city of Surabaya.

The United States, Britain and Australia are the three countries most directly involved in the ongoing invasion of Iraq.

Earlier Saturday, the Australian foreign ministry advised Australians not to visit Surabaya, where protesters on Friday picketed the U.S. consulate and a McDonald's outlet in protests against the war.

The warning, which was dismissed by Indonesian authorities, said there was "credible information that terrorist groups with a history of targeting Westerners and Western interests may be planning terrorist activity on or about 23 March in Surabaya, Indonesia."

On Thursday, the U.S. embassy urged Americans to ensure their safety "as a result of heightened risks associated with the outbreak of hostilities, including the continued threat of terrorist attacks on Americans from groups associated with al- Qaeda."

A day later, the British embassy upgraded an earlier warning that said westerners were likely to face harassment from extremists in bars and nightclubs.

It added that there was "also a serious threat of more widespread harassment ... including the threat of violence, during military action in Iraq."

In October, the State Department warned U.S. citizens against traveling to Indonesia and ordered the departure of its non- essential diplomats and the families of all official personnel from the embassy in Jakarta and consulate in Surabaya after the deadly nightclub bombings on the resort island of Bali.

The Bali bombings are blamed on regional terror group Jamaah Islamiyah, which is believed allied with al-Qaeda. The blasts killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.