The Jakarta Post, 7/9/2007 1:39:16 PM
Australia's Howard defends Indonesia terror warning
SYDNEY, Australia (AP): Australia's Prime Minister John Howard on Monday
defended warnings from his government that a terrorist attack in Indonesia may be
imminent, despite there being no direct intelligence that the chances of a strike had
increased.
The Foreign Affairs Department reissued a travel advisory to Indonesia on Sunday,
warning Australians to rethink travel to the Southeast Asian country because of the
threat of terrorist attacks. The advisory did not raise the threat level for attacks.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Sunday the advisory was reissued because
of the June 9 arrest in Indonesia of Abu Dujana, an alleged leader of terrorist group
Jemaah Islamiyah, and that a terrorist attack "could be imminent."
Jemaah Islamiyah is blamed for several attacks against Western targets in Indonesia
over the lastfew years, including two bombings on the resort island of Bali in 2002 and
2005. (***)
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