The Age [Australia], May 24, 2004
Warning of new terror in Indonesia
By David Wroe, Canberra, May 24, 2004
Australia and the United States have warned of fresh terrorist fears in Indonesia as
America conceded that anger over the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal was endangering
its nationals.
The federal Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Chris Gallus, said yesterday
the Howard Government had specific "credible" information that attacks were planned
in the South and Central Sulawesi provinces, north-east of the capital Jakarta.
Australians were advised to avoid these areas or, if they were already there, to leave.
They were also warned against travelling to Indonesia unless it was essential, and to
be extremely cautious in Jakarta.
The US warning said Americans faced a heightened risk in Indonesia, citing "a
convergence of local and international factors" that included Muslim anger over
pictures of Iraqi prisoners being tortured in Abu Ghraib jail.
The warning, issued by the US embassy in Jakarta, advised Americans to be on the
lookout for terrorist threats.
Other factors included the detention of high-profile Indonesian terror suspects such as
Jemaah Islamiah leader Abu Bakar Bashir, the campaign for Indonesia's July 5
presidential elections and ethnic violence in Ambon.
The US warning also cited "anti-American sentiment stirred up by media portrayals of
US actions in Iraq and information gathered worldwide indicating that terrorist groups
contemplate additional attacks against Americans or American interests".
Labor foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said the Government had become too
distracted by Iraq to fight the regional war on terrorism.
"John Howard has gone off on this great Iraq diversion... when we have huge problems
to deal with here in our own region," Mr Rudd said.
"We've had, in fact, inadequate action on law enforcement co-operation with the
Indonesians, but also dealing with basic factors like the collapse of the education
system there; not helpful if you are trying to build a stable democracy and prevent
extreme fundamentalist Muslims from recruiting to militant organisations."
Terrorism expert Aldo Borgu of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the Abu
Ghraib pictures, like the Iraq war itself, would help terror groups recruit new members.
Mr Borgu said the arrest of about 200 Jemaah Islamiah members since the Bali
bombings had impeded it but might have splintered the terror network, posing a new
challenge for anti-terrorist police.
The warnings came as Bali bombing mastermind Mukhlas - in jail facing death by
firing squad - vowed he would kill Mr Howard if he got the chance.
"I want the Australians to understand why I attacked them. It wasn't because of their
faults, it was because of their leaders' faults. Don't blame me, blame your leader, who
is on Bush's side."
A spokeswoman for Mr Howard declined to comment.
Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd.
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