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Posted on 09/20/2001 3:12:21 AM PDT by JohnHuang2

SURABAYA, Indonesia, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Scores of Muslim students protested and burnt a U.S. flag near the consulate in Indonesia's second-largest city on Thursday, warning the United States not to carry out revenge strikes on Afghanistan.

Riot police were called in to stop the group of around 40 students from entering the consulate in the East Java capital of Surabaya, 675 km (420 miles) east of Jakarta.

The protest comes amid growing threats by hardline Islamic groups in the world's largest Muslim nation to launch a holy war against the United States.

"America is also a terrorist like Osama (bin Laden). The innocent people of Afghanistan will be killed by the terrorists (America)," one student protested.

Washington accuses Afghanistan of protecting Saudi-born bin Laden, the man it believes masterminded last week's attacks on New York and Washington in which more than 5,600 people are believed to have died.

At least one of Indonesia's radical Muslim groups, Laskar Jihad (Holy Warriors), has been linked to some of the most vicious religious fighting in the multi-ethnic country whose tradition of tolerance has been stretched to the limit by more than three years of crisis.

Another group, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and which has threatened to attack the U.S. embassy and round up American citizens for expulsion, has occasionally attacked night spots in Jakarta with apparent impunity.

But the general feeling among the Indonesians over the horrific attacks has been one of sympathy and security forces have downplayed the threats of anti-U.S violence.

Earlier on Thursday, in Jakarta about 200 Muslim women -- wearing veils and carrying red roses -- prayed near the capital's bustling main thoroughfare in a peaceful rally to condemn last week's attacks.

Defence Minister Matori Abdul Djalil also called for calm among Indonesia's Muslim community saying the United States had no intention to attack Islam.

"If the U.S. attacks Afghanistan then it is not targetting Afghanistan but aiming for the terrorists," he said.

"We call on all sides, Muslims and Christians ... not to look at this matter (in terms of) who did it but we must see this as a terrorist act," he added.

He said Indonesian officials would do their best to safeguard U.S. interests in Indonesia in view of the threats by radical Muslim groups.

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