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| Southeast Asia |
| JI may be preparing Christmas attacks |
| 2005-12-13 |
| THE latest warnings from Australia and the US against travel to Indonesia could indicate Jemaah Islamiah (JI) is ready to strike again, a US intelligence group said today. Private sector thinktank Stratfor said the warnings had been accurate in the past, and JI had traditionally attacked about once a year. But there were indications its attack cycle was shortening, it said. Yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) released an updated travel advisory for Indonesia, warning terrorists were planning attacks over the holiday season. Stratfor said the Christian holiday season in Indonesia should be a time of increased vigilance, as there was a history of tensions between Christians and Muslims which frequently erupted into violence in some parts of the country. "A major attack during this year's holiday season would fit in with that precedent," it said. "US and Australian warnings on Indonesia have been accurate in the past. "Given the two countries' new specific warnings of attacks against Westerners, and the possibility that JI could be ready to strike again, Indonesia could see another major attack, probably against a soft target such as a church or hotel, in the near future." In its warning yesterday, DFAT urged Australians planning a trip to Indonesia, including Bali, to reconsider their plans due to the very high threat level. "We continue to receive a stream of reporting indicating that terrorists are in the advanced stages of planning attacks against Western interests in Indonesia against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners," the DFAT advisory said. Stratfor said that came amid speculation JI could be close to mounting attacks to follow up on its Bali suicide bombings on October which killed 23 including four Australians and the three bombers. On November 9, Indonesian police uncovered a cache of improvised bombs in central Java that were probably being prepared for an attack. Stratfor said this discovery suggested the Indonesian forces disrupted an attack in the advance planning stages. Stratfor said JI had struck at roughly yearly intervals – in Bali in October 2002, the Jakarta Marriott hotel in August 2003, Australia's Jakarta embassy in September 2004 and again in Bali in October this year. "However, some aspects of the 2005 Bali attack suggest that JI has learned from past operations and improved its methods," it said. "This has led to enhanced operational security (OPSEC), which has made it more difficult for counterterrorism personnel to track militants who are planning attacks or who are escaping after an attack." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 As if they weren't before/after...plz |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-12-13 08:59 |