Indonesian authorities Monday deployed water cannon, armored vehicles and hundreds of armed riot police to guard diplomats and other foreigners as a hard-line Muslim group threatened attacks in retaliation for the US-led air strikes in Afghanistan.
Radical groups reacted furiously to the overnight air strikes in Afghanistan, where Washington's chief suspect in the September 11 terrorist attacks, Osama bin Laden, is hiding.
Habib Muhammed Riziq Shihab, chairman of the Front for the Defenders of Islam, called on all Indonesian Muslims to attack the embassies of the United States and its allies, conduct "sweeps" to drive out their citizens and to destroy their assets if the government fails to break relations with Washington.
"They are terrorists who should be expelled from the soil of Indonesia," Shihab said.
About 70 members of the Islamic Youth Movement staged a peaceful afternoon protest outside the US embassy, chanting "America is the master of terror" and "Jihad [holy war], jihad."
In a statement the movement demanded that all Americans leave the country immediately and said it was ready to "escort American citizens to the airport."
The Australian, British, French and US embassies warned citizens to stay home.
A US embassy statement urged "in the strongest possible terms that all Americans resident in Indonesia remain at home and exercise maximum caution."
A British embassy statement also urged caution but said the situation "has not reached a point where the embassy advises British citizens to leave." An Australian embassy spokesman said: "There is a long way to go before evacuation plans kick in."
The US State Department has previously told all Americans to consider leaving Indonesia.
The British, French and US embassies were closed. The Jakarta International School said it was closed indefinitely.
About 10,000 Americans live in the country and between 2,000 and 3,000 Britons. Airlines did not report any extra demand for flights out.
In signs that Indonesia is becoming serious about protecting foreigners, a water cannon was parked outside the US embassy and another outside the British mission.
About 100 armed police in riot gear guarded the US mission, where extra barbed wire barricades were installed. Twelve armored vehicles were parked some 400 meters away.
Police said five battalions (3,000-4,500 men) were on standby near residential areas housing Europeans and Americans.
The government, in a carefully worded statement, said it was following "with deep concern" the US-led attacks but avoided direct criticism of them.
It noted US statements that the operations would avoid civilian casualties as far as possible, and were "not intended as enmity against the people of Afghanistan and Muslims."
"The Indonesian government urges that the operation which has taken place really is limited in nature, both in the use of force, the targets and the time, and therefore will reduce or minimize the number of innocent victims," said the statement.
But the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (Muslim scholars) and leaders of other Islamic organizations strongly condemned the attack.
"It is a manifestation of genuine arrogance and tyranny which is against humanitarianism, justice and truth," the council said.
President Megawati Sukarnoputri was quoted as promising firm action to preserve security during a meeting with the head of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association, Yanti Sukamdani.
"The government, in handling security disturbances, will act firmly and not half-heartedly," Sukamdani quoted her as saying.
"The president has asked that the handling of security be done seriously because for the past three years we are the only country whose economy has not been able to recover [from the 1997/98 regional financial crisis]."
Indonesia relies heavily on foreign aid and investment to revive its debt-burdened economy -- JAKARTA (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
