East Kalimantan Moslem leaders ensure the safety of U.S. citizens

East Kalimantan Moslem leaders and the KNPI youth organization guarantee over the weekend that there would be no sweeping against U.S. citizens living and working in the province, the Banjarmasin Post daily reported Monday.

Head of the Balikpapan MUI Moslem Clerics Council Djasran Bulah said that foreign companies operating in the East Kalimantan province played significant contribution to develop the local economy, and that the safety of the assets and the foreign staffs must be ensured.

Djasran was speaking during a gathering with expatriates in Balikpapan, which was also attended by Unocal Indonesia general manager David Stangor.

Earlier, East Kalimantan Police Chief Suryandi Syaiful said that the police would work hard to ensure the safety of Unocal?s foreign staffs in the province.

Several Moslem hardliners have threatened to sweep U.S. citizens in this country if the U.S. government proceeded with plans to attack Afghanistan to hunt down Saudi-born millionaire Osama bin Laden, Washington?s prime suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon.(*)