Western hotels potential terror targets in RI: U.S.

Western hotels potential terror targets in RI: U.S.

P. Parameswaran, Agence France-Presse, Washington

Western hotels are potential targets of terrorist attacks in
Indonesia ahead of the third anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001
mayhem, the United States said in an updated travel alert on
Tuesday (Wednesday in Jakarta).

It reminded citizens to defer non-essential travel to the
Southeast Asian archipelago.

In the travel warning, the State Department alerted American
citizens to "security concerns regarding identifiably western
hotels and reminds travelers of the ongoing terrorist threat for
Indonesia."

U.S. government travelers to Indonesia "have been directed to
avoid identifiably western hotels," the statement said, updating
an advisory issued about three months ago.

Americans were reminded to "defer all non-essential travel to
Indonesia" but those continuing to travel there despite the
advisory were told to observe personal security precautions,
including "continued potential for terrorist attacks against
Americans, U.S.- or other Western interests."

The travel alert came ahead of the third year of the
devastating Sept.11, 2001 attacks that left nearly 3,000 people
dead in the United States, blamed on the al-Qaeda terror network
of Osama bin laden.

The State Department said on Tuesday that the U.S. government
continued to receive information that Jamaah Islamiyah (JI),
regarded as al-Qaeda's Southeast Asian chapter, and other
extremist groups might be planning attacks against American and
other Western interests in Indonesia.

The JI was blamed for bombings that killed or injured American
citizens at Jakarta's Marriott hotel in August 2003 and at
Denpasar, Bali in October 2002.

Americans in Indonesia were advised to maintain a low profile,
vary daily routines, avoid crowds and demonstrations, and keep
abreast of current Indonesian events.

"The potential remains for violence and terrorist actions
against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the country," the
travel alert said.

Since security has increased at official U.S. facilities,
terrorists could seek "softer" targets, it warned.

They include places where Americans and other Westerners live,
congregate, shop or visit, it said, listing among other targets
clubs, restaurants, shopping centers, transportation systems,
places of worship and schools.

The State Department also warned that the JI and other Islamic
militant groups might use the Sept. 20 Indonesian presidential
elections as an "opportune" occasion to conduct attacks.

"Election-related violence is possible. Americans should avoid
demonstrations and large gatherings, which could turn violent or
cause unexpected traffic disruptions," it said.

Americans were also asked to avoid travel to restive Aceh and
Malaku provinces as well as central, south and southeast Sulawesi
and to exercise "extreme caution" when heading to strife-torn
provinces of Papua and West Timor (East Nusa Tenggara), and North
Sulawesi.

Indonesia restricts foreigners' travel to Aceh, where one
foreigner was killed and another wounded by security forces in
the past year.

Although Indonesia replaced martial law in Aceh with a state
of civil emergency on May 19, 2004, its security situation
"remains highly uncertain," the advisory said.