Indonesia's President under threat of attack
JAKARTA, Tuesday (AFP) - Indonesia's president is under threat of
assassination, his spokesman said Monday amid stepped-up security
nationwide for the New Year holiday period over fears of extremist
attacks.
Security forces in the world's most populous Muslim nation have been
on high alert over the Christmas period, concerned of possible reprisal
attacks after last month's killing of Malaysian bombmaker Azahari Husin,
a key member of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant network.
Documents found in Azahari's East Java hideaway indicated extremists
were planning attacks over the holiday period. His chief accomplice,
Noordin Mohammad Top, remains on the run.
Asked whether reports that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was
under threat of assassination were correct, his spokesman Andi
Mallarangeng responded: "Yes."
"We received the information from the intelligence agencies," he told
AFP.
"According to the report, the information is quite valid and they
have a reason to believe it," he said.Yudhoyono's outdoor activities had
been "significantly reduced" by his guards until the situation improves.
National deputy police spokesman Anton Bahrul Alam told AFP that
police had not yet received any intelligence report which suggested
threats had been made on Yudhoyono's life.
"One clear thing is that we are on full alert status to anticipate
various attack threats, including possible threats on the president's
safety," he said. |