Indonesia bird flu deaths hit 42

Indonesia has recorded its 42nd human bird flu death, bringing the country level with Vietnam as the worst affected by the disease.

Tests by the World Health Organization showed that a 44-year-old man who died last week had the H5N1 virus, health ministry officials said.

Indonesia has registered more bird flu deaths this year than any other nation.

In contrast the outbreak in Vietnam now seems to be under control, due to a large culling and vaccination drive.

No Vietnamese deaths have been recorded in 2006.

Criticism
Indonesia has been criticised for its reluctance to cull fowl in infected areas - a measure that experts say is the best way to stem the spread of the disease.

But the government says it does not have enough money to compensate farmers, and has asked for $900m (£495m) over the next three years to tackle the virus.

Indonesia's problems were highlighted in May when the country recorded a large cluster of deaths which the WHO believes were the result of human-to-human transmission.

Experts say this particular incident did not signal a major change in the spread of the disease. But there is a fear that the bird flu virus could mutate to a form which could be easily passed from human to human, triggering a pandemic and potentially putting millions of lives at risk.

Globally, more than 130 people have died of bird flu since late 2003. Most of the deaths have been in East Asia, but the virus has also spread to Europe, Africa and South and Central Asia.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/5197110.stm

Indonesian terrorist calls for Israel volunteers

Bangkok Post

Jakarta (dpa) - Indonesia's most prominent convicted terrorist urged the government Monday to send holy warriors to attack Israel for its ongoing military operations in Palestinian territories.

Abu Bakar Bashir, reputed leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian offshoot of al-Qaeda, has continued his acerbic rants against the West and Israel since being released from prison last month.

"Israel is the enemy of Allah. So the Indonesian government should send holy warriors there," Bashir said while speaking before the conservative Muslim-based Crescent Star Party in Jakarta, according to the Elshinta radio station.

His statements came as Israel continued military operations against Palestinian militants and the territory's infrastructure in the Gaza Strip following the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier.

Bashir was released after 26 months in prison for conspiracy in connection with the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people. The United States and Australia condemned his light jail sentence but the Jakarta government had little choice but to release him given that bungling prosecutors failed to prove Bashir was the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, which is blamed for several terrorist attacks across Indonesia since 2000.

The radical cleric's comments are likely to embarass the Indonesian government, which despite his release has been combating terrorism at home, and further raise fears that Bashir will incite radical followers to launch new terrorist attacks.