U.S. Travel Warning Had Been in Place since November 2000.
(5/25/2008) The long standing travel warning issued by the U.S. Government urging American travelers to avoid non-essential travel to the Republic of Indonesia has been lifted.
The warnings were first introduced by the U.S. State Department in November 2000 following a series of bombing attacks in Jakarta and prior to two deadly terrorist bombing attacks in Bali in October 2002 and October 2005 that claimed over 240 lives.
In lifting the ban, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron Hume issued a statement On Sunday. May 25, 2008 saying, "the government ... has disrupted, arrested and prosecuted numerous terrorist elements." In his emailed statement to the press Hume said, "the U.S. has lifted the warning due to objective improvements made by Indonesia in its current security situation."
Indonesian authorities have a record second to none for tracking down terrorists and bringing them to trial, having convicted hundreds of Islamic terrorists.
Ambassador Hume said the Embassy would not modify its security precautions and, like most public places in Indonesia, would continue to practice a high level of diligence.
Quoted by the Associated Press, Indonesia's top anti-terror official, Maj. Gen. Ansyaad Mbai, said that while he welcomed the U.S. decision it would in no way slow down efforts to battle terrorism. If anything, he said, "it will push us to be more effective in handling security matters."
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