Indonesia's president under threat

news.com.au ^ | 26th December 2005

[naturalman1975]

INDONESIA'S president is under threat of assassination, his spokesman said today amid stepped-up security nationwide for the New Year holiday period in response to fears of extremist attacks.

Security forces in the world's most populous Muslim nation have been on high alert over the Christmas period, fearing reprisal attacks after last month's killing of Malaysian bombmaker Azahari Husin, a key member of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) extremist 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, spokesman Andi Mallarangeng responded: "Yes."

"We received the information from the intelligence agencies," he said without elaborating.

National deputy police spokesman Anton Bahrul Alam said that police had not yet received any intelligence report that suggested threats had been made on Mr 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.

JI has been blamed for a slew of attacks in Indonesia, including the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people, mostly Western holidaymakers.

When asked whether heightened security measures were in place around Mr Yudhoyono, Mallarangeng said: "The president has presidential guards and they are working professionally."

Mr Yudhoyono led a ceremony today to mark the first anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami and mingled freely with grieving survivors, although a press conference he was supposed to hold was cancelled without explanation.