Indonesia's president under threat

Indonesia's president is under threat of assassination, his spokesman said Monday, amid stepped-up security nationwide for the New Year holiday period over fears of extremist attacks.

Asked whether reports that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was under threat of assassination were correct, his spokesman Andi Mallarangeng responded: "Yes."

"We received the information from the intelligence agencies," he said. "According to the report, the information is quite valid and they have a reason to believe it."
Yudhoyono's outdoor activities had been "significantly reduced" by his guards until the situation improves.

Tempointeraktif.com reported today that SBY would reduce activities with the crowd (photo courtesy of Antara).
"But I will move on with my activities as usual. Nothing has changed despite stringent security arrangement in respond to the intelligence report," SBY was quoted by Kompas.com after a meeting with Aceh leaders in Banda Aceh this morning.
Late last week, General Sutanto, the National Chief of Police, said that he was ready to provice special security for state officials and foreign citizens. He made the statement in reltion to information from State Intelligence Agency (BIN) that terrorist operational targets has changed from bombing buildings and churches to the kidnapping of state officials and foreign citizens.
Although Indonesia's most-wanted terrorist, Malaysia-born Azahari bin Husin, was killed in a police raid last month in Malang, East Java, his compatriot Noordin Moh Top remains at large.
Police believe Noordin will launch a revenge attack and has recruited more followers in the past few weeks.
A document found during a raid at one of Noordin's hideouts said the group planned to bomb unspecified targets in Jakarta.
But why the President is the target?
Andi suspect the leader's policies to erradicate corruption and crackdown terrorist groups in the country are the main motives. "There are people who feel their interests ruined by the policies," he said. It is easier to point the fingers to terrorist groups. But that's not the case with those who protect the corruptors, right?

READ MORE!!!