Washington warns of further terror attacks
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Apriadi Gunawan,The Jakarta Post Jakarta/Medan
Extremist elements could be plotting more attacks against U.S. interests in Indonesia perceived as "softer," following Tuesday's JW Marriott bombing in Jakarta, Washington has warned.
In a new travel warning issued on Saturday, the State Department said that places where Americans and westerners lived could be one of the targets of such possible attacks.
"The U.S. government believes extremist elements may be planning additional attacks in Indonesia. These may include facilities where Americans and westerners are known to live, congregate, shop or visit, especially hotels, clubs, restaurants, shopping centers, housing compounds, transportation systems, places of worship, schools or outdoor recreation events," it says.
As security has been increased at high-risk places in the wake of the Marriott bombing early this week, extremist groups could opt for the above-mentioned targets, it says.
Tuesday's bombing, which claimed 10 lives and injured 149 others, occurred at the main entrance of the South Jakarta hotel, under the management of a U.S.-based chain.
Indonesia was in the international spotlight when militant groups blasted two cafes in Bali on Oct. 12 last year, killing 202 people, mostly foreigners.
Some 30 suspects, related to the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist network and linked to the Bali bombings, are currently being tried. The first suspect, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, was sentenced to death on Thursday. He was convicted of buying the chemicals used in the bombings and transporting them to Bali where they were packed into a van parked adjacent to the Bali nightclub where the main blast occurred.
The government has warned of possible reprisal attacks following the sentence. Some believe that the Marriott bombing was an attempt to intimidate the court ahead of the verdict. The authorities have also pointed out a possible link between Tuesday's bombing in Jakarta and JI.
Earlier this week, the Australian government also issued a similar warning of possible additional attacks in Central Jakarta, citing Indonesia's celebration of Independence Day on Aug. 17 and the first verdict against the Bali bombers.
The U.S. State Department has also urged its citizens to avoid nonessential trips to Indonesia and those that are still here should keep a low profile and be aware of their immediate environment.
The travel warning has repeated the U.S. contention that JI has links to al-Qaeda.
Commenting on the renewed travel warning, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said he was convinced that the international community would not isolate the country because of the bombing.
Speaking in Medan, North Sumatra, after opening a seminar, Hassan said the world expressed its full support and confidence that Indonesia would be able to solve the case quickly.
"I would like to emphasize that the world did not isolate us, even after the huge Bali blast. It appreciated our efforts to solve the case," Hassan said.
The minister said that Indonesia had earned the world's trust in its ability to deal with terrorism, and the travel warning would not deter foreigners from entering the country.
Nonetheless, a report from Yogyakarta said on Saturday that dozens of tourists from Europe had canceled trips to Indonesia soon after the Marriott bombing.
Similarly, a tourism official was quoted by Antara news agency as saying that the Marriott bombing would have a negative impact on tourism in Bali.
The U.S. criticized Indonesia following the Bali bombing, the worst terrorist attack since Sept. 11, 2001, for what it perceived as a lack of serious effort on Indonesia's part to fight terrorism. But Indonesia gradually convinced the international community that it was serious in combating terrorism. President George W. Bush called President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday to praise her leadership in the fight against terrorism.