New Zealanders traveling to Indonesia over the Christmas-New Year period are being warned to take care in the face of a heightened risk of terrorist activity there, according to New Zealand Press Association in Wellington Wednesday.

New information indicated the terrorism risk in the capital, Jakarta, would be particularly high during the holiday period and the Indonesian government had stepped up security, New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff was quoted as saying.

"New Zealanders visiting Jakarta are advised to take particular caution in shopping centers, places of worship, hotels and other places where westerners are likely to gather," Goff said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade would review and reissue its Indonesian travel advisory to note the heightened threat.

It would also continue to advise against all non-essential travel to Indonesia and against all travel to areas where there was civil unrest, Goff said. 

(Xinua News Agency December 24, 2003)