Indonesia Warned of More Terrorist Attacks

A bomb terror was committed on an American franchise hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, or J.W. Marriott Hotel. But the world is put on a higher alert, and the terrorism is not likely to end in the near future.

Major foreign newspapers and news agencies warned yesterday, citing terrorism experts, that Jemaah Islamiyah, a shadowy al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group that is believed to have committed the Bali bombing last year as well as this Marriott bombing, could carry out more attacks.

Terrorism experts are worried since it is not illegal to joint the membership of the Islamic fundamental group in Indonesia. They point out that that is why it is hard for the Indonesian police to apprehend the members.

The Indonesian police told an Australian newspaper that they were looking for a person who left an e-mail message encrypted in the group`s code, "I want to commit a suicide bombing." The police also believe that the writer of the message was the person who drove the van that exploded.

Prior to the recent bombing, the Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also warned of terrorist attacks in time for the sentence on Amrozi, the prime suspect in the first Bali bombing (Aug. 7), or an Indonesian National Holiday (Aug. 17).

The US Department of Homeland Security issued a terrorist warning of possible terrorist attacks on passenger ships running around New York City. The Department believes that terrorists might have spied on the operations of ferries running along the US coasts. It requests all Americans to immediately report to the Coast Guard any suspicious activities including unattended bags.

The US hospitality industry, which had not taken any antiterrorism measures even after the 9.11 attack, is now rejuvenating its whole security system, sparked by the recent attack on J.W. Marriott Hotel on Tuesday.

USA Today reported on the same day that US hotels were taking various measures to protect their customers, including hiring of more armed security guards, placement of concrete barricade, and setup of metal detectors.

The Department has distributed antiterrorism brochures to hotels, and the Department of State has issued a warning to US citizens traveling abroad and staying at hotels.

Terror attacks have conducted three times on American franchise hotels since that on Sheraton Hotel on the outskirts of Pakistan in May, 2002. None, however, has occurred in mainland USA.

Rae-Jeong Park ecopark@donga.com