Added spice to Indonesia's terror
By Bill Guerin
JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is facing demands to step up security in Indonesia's eastern island chain, the Malukus, or the "Spice Islands" to romantics, amid concerns that a nationwide terror operation may be in place.
Almost the whole of Indonesia's eastern region has been involved in ethnic and religious violence, and sporadic bombings and armed attacks still occur in Central Sulawesi, which lies to the west of the Malukus. Sectarian violence and separatist movements are nothing new to these areas, where, according to an International Crisis Group (ICG) report published last week, earlier conflicts in Ambon and Poso have proven to be superb recruiting mechanisms for jihadi organizations.
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