Indonesia Tuesday promised to take firm action against Muslim militants who have threatened retaliation against Americans here for any US attack on Afghanistan.
Defense Minister Matori Abdul Jalil described the groups as "insignificant" in number but added: "We cannot tolerate such actions.
"We have the obligation to protect foreigners, foreign assets and the diplomatic interests of foreign countries. We will take firm actions in accordance with existing laws."
Lieutenant General Agus Wijoyo, the military chief for territorial affairs, echoed Jalil. "We do not tolerate any groups or individuals that break the law," he said.
Vice President Hamzah Haz also spoke out against the anti-American campaign. "We don't agree with that," Haz told reporters separately. "We should not harass foreigners.
"The government will not do anything that will hurt Indonesian Muslims," added Haz, who leads the largest Muslim political party.
Militant groups have threatened forcibly to expel Americans and raid US facilities if the US attacks Afghanistan in retaliation for terror attacks on New York and the Pentagon on September 11.
Several hard-line groups on Sunday checked international hotels and the airport in the Central Java city of Solo in a fruitless search for Americans.
Jalil also said Indonesia's determination to fight terrorism had always been strong.
"We cannot tolerate terrorism and we have to eradicate it," he told reporters on the sidelines of a security workshop held by the British embassy and his ministry which was also attended by Wijoyo.
The minister said Indonesia would cooperate with other countries, including the United States, in sharing information on terrorist movements.
Anti-American protests have mounted in Indonesia after the US singled out the Afghanistan-based Osama bin Laden as the prime suspect in the attacks and made apparent preparations for an attack in Afghanistan.
But the number of protesters has generally been small.
Up to 100 protesters gathered outside the US embassy Tuesday. They torched a mock coffin with pictures of President George W. Bush and displayed a banner reading: "George Bush is the king of terrorists."
Many other people have expressed condolences at the US embassy over the terrorist attacks.
During her meeting with Bush in Washington last week, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri condemned what she called the "brutal and indiscriminate" attacks and said her country would join the global battle against terrorism.
Megawati, the leader of the world's most populous Muslim nation, on Monday held talks with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at UN headquarters in New York.
Also Monday her foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda signed the 1999 International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism at UN headquarters, Antara news agency reported on Tuesday.
Wirayuda said Indonesia had long been considering signing the anti-terrorism convention and it was not merely a response to the terror attacks on the US.
He also signed protocols outlawing the use of child soldiers and protecting children against the sex trade.
Within the framework of the terrorism convention, Wirayuda said Jakarta would try to increase intelligence coordination with fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries -- JAKARTA (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
