The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta announced Sept. 20 that it had credible information that Westerners may be targeted for violence in the Yogyakarta area. Yogyakarta is a cultural center for students and a popular tourist city, but it is also the base for Laskar Jihad, a militant Islamic group responsible for inciting violence between Muslims and Christians in Maluku province. Its leader is currently on trial in Jakarta for such actions. Officials in Yogyakarta have taken issue with the warning and expressed confidence in their security arrangements, but they did say that security precautions would be increased, especially for foreigners.
