VZCZCXRO0203
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1903 3211111
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171111Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3858
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001903 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DS 
S/P (GREG BEHRMAN) 
NSC FOR D.WALTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS ID
 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN ASSISTANCE WORKER POSSIBLY TARGETED IN ACEH 
 
¶1. (U) This is a Consulate Medan message.  It is Sensitive but 
Unclassified. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Indonesian police are investigating an incident 
involving the representative of the European Commission in Banda 
Aceh.  A bullet or some other type of projectile was apparently 
fired at the representative's Banda Aceh home on November 16.  There 
were no injuries.  This appears to be an isolated incident and not 
part of any concerted effort to target Westerners.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) An incident in Aceh has stirred concern.  John Penny, the 
European Commission (EC) Representative in Banda Aceh and a UK 
national, and his wife were sitting near the front window of their 
home at the Euro Guest House in Banda Aceh at 10 p.m. November 16 
when Penny heard what he believes was a loud noise and observed a 
clean round hole in the window.  Forty police responded to his 
emergency call but could find no bullets or other evidence.  Based 
on the nature of the hole and the fact it did not shatter the 
window, Penny told ConGen Medan he is almost certain it was not a 
rock.  Penny believes the cause was either an air rifle or bullet 
although police could find no bullets at the scene. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Penny believes this was a threat directed at him but has 
no idea of the motive.  He said the hole in the window was at head 
level and the direction of any projectile would have been a half 
meter from his wife's head and a meter from his. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Penny told Congen Medan that the incident may arise from a 
dispute he had with a former driver that same morning.  Penny fired 
his driver two months prior over a salary dispute. The night of the 
incident, Penny attended the first of the weekly European film 
screenings and had just returned home when the incident occurred. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The European Union (EU) Mission in Jakarta has sent an 
official to Banda Aceh in response.  Penny said the EU has not 
decided how the incident will affect its profile in Aceh. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) We believe it is too early to assess the security impact 
of this incident.  Based on what we know it appears to be an 
isolated event.  We do not believe that there is a heightened threat 
against AmCits or other Westerners in Aceh.  Having said that, this 
is the second attack in the past month against Westerners (a German 
Red Cross worker was injured in a recent incident) and we will 
continue to assess the security situation carefully.  Congen Medan 
is scheduled to meet with the Aceh Province Deputy Police Chief on 
November 18. 
 
 
HUME