US warns citizens against travel to Indonesia

The United States warned citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Indonesia today, saying a suicide bombing on Bali island earlier this month showed terrorists were still active.

“The possibility remains that terrorists will carry out additional attacks in Bali, Jakarta or other areas of Indonesia in the near future,” the US embassy said, adding that it had received reports Americans could be targeted.

The last time Washington issued such a terror alert for Indonesia was May.

The world’s most populous Muslim nation has been hit by deadly terrorist attacks every year since 2002, when twin nightclub bombings on Bali killed 202 mostly foreign tourists.

The October 1 suicide bombings on the same island targeting three crowded restaurants killed 20 people and wounded more than 100.

The fresh US warning said Americans who did visit Indonesia should “be aware of their surroundings at all times, and vary their routes and times in carrying out daily activities”.