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| Saturday, 19 October, 2002, 05:47 GMT 06:47 UK Australia warns of fresh attacks ![]() Thousands of Australian expats work in Indonesia Australia says it has received intelligence about plans for bomb attacks on Westerners in the Indonesian capital Jakarta. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer made the announcement as the country prepared to receive the first positively identified remains of one of its citizens killed in the Bali night-club bombing.
"On the basis of intelligence we've received, it's very important we draw people's attention to the risk," he said. Indonesian police are reportedly planning to interview the radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir on Saturday in connection with terror attacks. Mr Downer said he had "specific threats... of bomb attacks in... certain [Jakarta] suburbs against Westerners" and urged Australians to leave. The Australian Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory asking citizens to avoid the Jakarta suburbs of Kota, Jalan Hayam Wuruk, Taman Anggrek, Pasar Baru and Pasar Senen. "We have received reports that crowded areas, including upmarket entertainment areas, should be avoided," the ministry says on its website. It adds that the possible arrest of "extremist leaders" in the wake of the anti-terrorism decrees passed by Indonesia on Friday could provoke a "strong reaction from their supporters". Cleric quizzed Indonesian police are sending a team to interview Abu Bakar Ba'asyir in his Java home town Solo on Saturday, a police official told Reuters news agency. The cleric is suspected by some governments of leading the shadowy Jemaah Islamiah group - a charge he denies. Indonesia has linked Jemaah Islamiah to Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
The cleric is suspected of involvement in a spate of church bombings across Indonesia in December 2000 and the US, Malaysia and Singapore have been demanding his arrest for months. At Friday prayers, he prayed for the safety of Osama Bin Laden, the Associated Press news agency reports, but he denied any links with either Jemaah Islamiah or al-Qaeda. Correspondents say there is no evidence linking him to the Bali bombing. First coffin Meanwhile, the remains of Angela Golotta are due to arrive in Adelaide on Saturday.
Australian broadcaster ABC said it believed Angela's parents were accompanying her body on the flight. She would have been celebrating her 20th birthday this week. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on a solemn visit to Bali on Friday that he sympathised with the families of the bereaved waiting for the return of their loved ones' bodies. But he said the identification process needed to be thorough and carried out properly to avoid any errors. Australia will observe a day of national mourning on Sunday. |
See also: 18 Oct 02 | Asia-Pacific 18 Oct 02 | Asia-Pacific 18 Oct 02 | Politics 17 Oct 02 | Asia-Pacific 18 Oct 02 | UK Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Asia-Pacific stories now: Links to more Asia-Pacific stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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