US missions closed in Indonesia after threat

JAKARTA - The United States is closing all of its diplomatic missions in Indonesia from Thursday until further notice because of a security threat, the US embassy in Jakarta said.

The embassy, in a message posted on its website and sent by email to American residents in Indonesia, did not give details of the threat.

An embassy spokesman, Max Kwak, also declined to elaborate on the threat.

Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda have launched several bomb attacks in the world's most populous Muslim nation in recent years, including one last September outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta that killed 10 people.

"The embassy reminds all Americans that the terrorist threat in Indonesia remains high," the US Embassy website message said.

"Attacks could occur at any time and could be directed at any location, including those frequented by foreigners and identifiably American and other Western facilities or businesses in Indonesia."

The closures come during a high profile visit to the United States by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Besides its heavily fortified embassy in central Jakarta, the United States has consulates in the city of Surabaya in East Java province and on the resort island of Bali. There is also a US representative office in the city of Medan in Sumatra.

- REUTERS