U.S., Australia warn of Indonesia terror attacks

updated 2:24 p.m. ET April 1, 2006

JAKARTA, Indonesia - The United States and Australia have warned their citizens of a possible terrorist attack in Indonesia on Sunday.

A letter sent to U.S. citizens by the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta said “terrorists continue to plan attacks against westerners and western interests in Indonesia.”

The letter, sent Friday, went on to say that “recent reports suggest that Sunday April 2, 2006, could be one potential date for an attack.” It said locations frequented by foreigners and people “identifiably American” were likely targets, though it provided no specifics.

Indonesia has seen several terrorist attacks in recent years blamed on the Al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah. The group was implicated in two strikes on the resort island of Bali that killed more than 220 people, including 88 Australian tourists, and the 2003 car bombing of the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta.

The U.S. statement echoed a similar warning issued by Australia in recent days.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updated its travel advice Saturday to say it had received a stream of reports indicating that terrorists were in the advanced stages of planning attacks against Western interests in Indonesia.

“These reports include information about potentially heightened risk of attack on particular dates,” the Web site said, specifically citing Sunday.

That date is the first anniversary of a helicopter crash that killed nine Australian military personnel who were flying a medical relief mission to the Indonesian island of Nias days after a major earthquake.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said an Australian government minister, senior military officers and 28 relatives of the victims were traveling to Nias for a memorial service Sunday.

Downer said there was no evidence that the terrorist attack would target the service.

“We have no information that it could take place on Nias Island or be in any way associated with the commemorative ceremony,” Downer told reporters in Adelaide, Australia.

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