U.S. terrorism expert kicked out of Indonesia again [View All]

An American expert on terrorism and Islamic militancy in Southeast Asia has been kicked out of Indonesia for the second year in a row, a move that could embarrass President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Sidney Jones, Indonesia director of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG), told Reuters she had been barred from entering Jakarta on Thursday after arriving back from a short trip to Taiwan.

Her residency card had been confiscated, she said. "It's just a complete mystery. There was no reason and no warning. If there had been a warning I would have taken more than two days of clothes," Jones, 53, told Reuters from Singapore. "I was allowed back at the end of July and everything seemed fine. I was assured that we were in a new era."

Jones was expelled in June 2004 under a previous administration after a series of hard-hitting reports on terrorism in Indonesia. In July this year, she was allowed back to live in Indonesia. Yuri Thamrin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, confirmed Jones had been denied entry.

"Based on my checks, the restriction still applies for her to enter Indonesia, but there is a possibility her status will be reviewed in due course," he said in a text message to Reuters, without elaborating.
Immigration officials said Jones had been blacklisted but would not say for how long or why. Jones' fresh expulsion comes at a time when Yudhoyono has won plaudits from the international community for his openness and efforts to cement democracy in Indonesia.

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