The Foreign Office is warning terrorists could be in the “advanced stages” of preparing attacks in Indonesia but has not changed its overall level of travel advice to the destination.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated its advice today, urging visitors to Indonesia to “exercise a high degreee of caution”.
On its website, it now states: “Recent indications suggest that terrorists may be in the advanced stages of preparing attacks in Indonesia.”
It adds that visitors should be particularly vigilant during holiday periods such as Nyepi (Balinese New Year) which falls on March 9 this year, Easter, which falls over the last weekend in March, Independence Day on August 17 and at Christmas time.
In January this year a terrorist attack took place near the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel and Sarinah Plaza in central Jakarta. Eight people died in the attack and several were injured, including foreigners.
The advice also says: “There is a high threat from terrorism. Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and intent to carry out these attacks at anytime and anywhere in the country. Types of attacks have included suicide bombing and small-arms fire, targeting public and crowded places.”
No travel ban has been imposed and the FCO adds that for most of the 220,000 British visitors each year visits are trouble-free.