Purnomo says security forces to protect U.S. interests here

Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro said that his office had coordinated with the Police and the Military to safeguard the local assets belonging to foreign particularly U.S. mining, and oil and gas companies.

Purnomo made the statement following U.S. attacks on Afghanistan early Monday.

Several Muslim fundamentalist groupings earlier threatened to attack U.S. interests and citizens here if the U.S. proceeded with its plans to attack Afghanistan, the hiding place of Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect on the Sept. 11 attack on Washington and New York.

Separately, spokesman of the state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina L. Harijanto said that Pertamina had issued a dispensation letter allowing foreign staffs in oil and gas firms to follow precautionary instructions coming from their respective embassies.(Godang/Alex)