The United States will close all its diplomatic mission offices in Indonesia on Friday over the threat of potential demonstrations that might be held in front of those facilities.
Although a statement from the U.S. embassy in Jakarta on Thursday did not specify the reason for the demonstration, reports say that there is a possibility of Muslims, gathering in large numbers for Friday prayers, to hold demonstrations outside the US offices to vent their anger over an incendiary anti-Islam film.
It is still unclear who produced the film "Innocence of Muslims", trailer of which surfaced on YouTube with Arabic sub-titles stirring Muslims into action in several cities that resulted in the killing of U.S. envoy to Libya Christopher Stevens and three of his colleagues last week.
The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, the American Presence Post in Medan, the U.S. Consular Agency in Bali, and the U.S. Mission to ASEAN will be closed on Friday. The American Presence Post in Medan continues to be closed on Thursday. The U.S. Embassy advised US citizens to avoid large crowds and other gatherings that might turn violent.
U.S. citizens living and traveling in Indonesia are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and update their contact information with the US diplomatic mission offices in the country.
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