Washington warns of further terror attacks

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.