Indonesia orders terror alert

Indonesia ordered a nationwide security crackdown today after several foreign governments warned terrorists were preparing to launch attacks against Western targets ahead of Christmas.

Australia’s warning was unusually specific, saying it had ”credible information” that terrorists could be targeting the Hilton Hotel chain in the country.

Britain, the US, New Zealand and Japan also issued their own warnings but did not mention specific targets.

Security was immediately tightened at Indonesia’s three Hilton hotels. In the Jakarta Hilton, police armed with automatic weapons stood guard next to Christmas trees hung with tinsel, searching bags and checking cars.

Hotel officials said they had not seen a mass exodus of guests, but that some groups had cancelled functions in the light of the threat.

Suspected al-Qaida linked militants have launched three bloody bombings on Western targets in the world’s most populous Muslim nation in the past three years.

Despite scores of arrests, local police and foreign governments have repeatedly warned more attacks were likely. Several countries warn their citizens not to travel to the country at all.

“We are doing our utmost to increase our vigilance,” said Jakarta Police spokesman Ciptono, who goes by a single name.

“In light of the threat, the national police chief has ordered the Christmas and New Year’s security operation, which was supposed to start Saturday, to begin immediately.”

Ciptono was referring to the police’s annual Christmas security operations, which normally involve the deployment of tens of thousands of officers to public places, including shopping malls, churches and hotels.

Hilton International Indonesia’s chief operating officer Nizar Sungkar said he was “surprised” by Canberra’s warning, but said that security at all the chain’s hotels had been tightened.

“We are taking all necessary precautions,” he said. “We don’t want to put anyone at risk.” He said that the hotel felt there was no need to specifically inform guests of the threat.

Last year, the al-Qaida linked Jemaah Islamiyah terror group attacked the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta, killing 12 people.

The same group were blamed in a blast outside the Australian Embassy in October this year that killed 10, as well as the 2002 bombings on Bali island that killed 202 people.