Julia Gillard has weighed into the Indonesian spy scandal row by suggesting Australia follow the US example.
Indonesian activists burn the Australian flag in Jakarta yesterday. Source: Getty Images
- Julia Gillard calls for us to follow Obama's example
- Role of Indonesian phone companies under the spotlight
- Tony Abbott preparing response to Indonesian president
THE Australian embassy in Jakarta is being pelted with eggs by protesters as Prime Minister Tony Abbott responds to calls for an apology from Indonesia over the phone-tapping scandal.
More than 1600 police have been deployed near the Australian and US embassies plus several other potential targets in the capital ahead of members of the hardline group, the Islamic Defenders Front, attending rallies after Friday prayers.
Already protesters in front of the Australian embassy have burnt photos of Mr Abbott and an Australian flag.
The protesters, from the Kommando Perjuan Merah Putih (Red and White Fighter Commandos) have also for a second day called for war with Australia and demanded the Australian ambassador, Greg Moriarty, be expelled from Indonesia.
"Our nation has been insulted by Australia. Let's attack them,'' one of the group shouted outside the embassy this afternoon.
Activists burn the Australian flag at the embassy in Jakarta yesterday. Source: Getty Images
The FPI has previously rallied in support of convicted terrorist and suspected Bali bombing mastermind Abu Bakar Bashir.
Mr Abbott, who has promised a swift and courteous response to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's call for apology, met with the national security committee of cabinet last night and was declining to comment today.
Former prime minister Julia Gillard today weighed into the escalating spying row, suggesting Mr Abbott follow the example of Barack Obama and provide Indonesia with an explanation of the allegations.
But the deposed Labor leader stopped short of saying the Prime Minister apologise for the actions of Australia's electronic spy agency in 2009.
Ms Gillard said it was not appropriate for her to comment on intelligence matters but she praised the way Mr Obama handled similar allegations of US phone taps on German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"If he had been aware he wouldn't have authorised it, and he could certainly say for the future that it wouldn't happen again," she told CNN.
"I think that that's an appropriate response from Australia to Indonesia at this very difficult time."
Her stance was disputed by former foreign minister Alexander Downer, who said Mr Obama went too far in confirming the US had been listening to Ms Merkel's phone and promising that it would never happen again.
"If Tony Abbott were to say 'gee I'm sorry about that', that would reveal that in fact, the allegation was true,'' he told Sky News.
Mr Downer said it had been the doctrine of Australian governments for generations neither to confirm nor deny claims relating to the nation's intelligence services.
If the doctrine was abandoned then every time an allegation was made you would have to say whether it was true or whether it was false.
Julia Gillard has weighed in on the spying scandal. Source: NewsComAu
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"As you do that, the whole intelligence system ... will gradually unravel,'' he said.
Mr Downer said it would be a difficult challenge to restore the relationship without compromising the effectiveness of Australia's intelligence assets.
"I think obviously Tony Abbott has to extend a friendly hand to President Yudhoyono,'' he said.
"We've got to do what we can on our part, and they've got to do what they can on their part to restore the relationship to the good shape it's been in.''
The spotlight in Indonesia has now turned to its phone companies, who have been given a week to investigate whether they helped Australian spies tap Mr Yudhoyono's phone.
Indonesia's communications minister Tifatul Sembiring has asked the chiefs of his country's 10 telcos to undertake internal investigations.
The companies potentially face charges under Indonesia's information and electronic transactions law.
Protesters make their views clear in Jakarta. Source: Getty Images
Under Indonesian law only five bodies, including the national police, state intelligence agency and anti-corruption commission, are legally allowed to intercept communications.
The nation's former intelligence chief has said the diplomatic row could be resolved with an apology from Mr Abbott.
"Just apologise and ... forgive and forget,'' Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono told the ABC.
Mr Hendropriyono admitted in a 2004 television interview that Jakarta had spied on Australia.
With the boot on the other foot, he says there must be an openness to investigating the allegations against Australia.
Tony Abbott has held urgent talks with the National Security Committee amid the escalating spy controversy.
Mr Abbott is under mounting pressure to apologise to Indonesia after receiving a letter from the president, seeking a full explanation and an apology.
He met with the national security committee of cabinet on Thursday night to consider the matter.
Mr Hendropriyono, who led Badan Intelijen Negara from 2001 to late 2004, said he would consider it his duty to spy on an Australian leader.
"If I were an intelligence officer on active duty ... I wish I could, because that is my mission,'' he told The Australian, adding spying on a friendly country could even be a friendly act.
Mr Abbott expressed similar sentiments in a statement to parliament this week, saying Australia's intelligence resources had been used to "help our friends and allies, not to harm them''.
Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite this morning also repeated Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's suggestion from earlier in the week that Mr Abbott consider following the US approach.
"Barack Obama appears to have been able to calm the situation and normalise relations by taking action,'' he told Sky News.
Protesters gathered at the Australian embassy. Source: Getty Images
Protesters burned flags and chanted anti-Australian slogans outside the Indonesian embassy in Jakarta on Thursday.
Co-operation on tackling people smuggling and the sharing of intelligence and military exercises have already been halted.
Indonesia's trade minister Gita Wirjawan has warned his country may suspend talks on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Australia.
The phone-tapping activities by Australia's Defence Signals Directorate four years ago was revealed in US National Security Agency documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
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