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Indonesia Struggles to Give Full Support to U.S.<b/>
Thursday, September 20, 2001 (18:30 JST)
By Jonathan Thatcher

JAKARTA




Threats by Indonesia's vocal Muslim radicals are adding to pressure on the world's largest Islamic population to give only limited backing to the U.S. coalition to avenge last week's attacks on its key cities.

Political analysts said President Megawati Sukarnoputri, her grip on power still uncertain after just two months in office, can ill afford to offend religious sensitivities at home despite financial bait from Washington to win her over.

"If the U.S. attacks Afghanistan there will be repercussions here," said political analyst Umar Juoro.

Washington accuses Afghanistan of sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, the man it believes orchestrated last week's attacks on New York and Washington in which more than 5,600 people may have died and which many worry may be pushing the world's economic powerhouse into recession.

"There are mixed feeling among Muslims. They condemn the killings but also say it is a lesson for the U.S. for its arrogance," Juoro said.
(More: JapanToday.com News Source)

They’ve yet to have witnessed American Arrogance,
Dan