Jakarta bombings puts Man U Far East tour in doubt

KUALA LUMPUR - Manchester United’s tour of the Far East was in jeopardy this morning after two Jakarta hotels including the team’s planned base from this Saturday were bombed by Indonesian Islamic terrorists.

The club’s trip to Jakarta now looks extremely unlikely.

Bombs placed at the Jakarta Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, the hotel due to host the United squad for four days from Saturday evening, exploded at 7.30 a.m. this morning,leaving nine dead and about 50 injured.

The team were due to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 11.40 a.m. local time today prior to Saturday’s tour opener against a Malaysian XI at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, reports The Telegraph.

The squad were then scheduled to fly to Jakarta on Saturday evening for a four night stay in the Indonesian capital, during which they were due to play an Indonesian Select team on Monday evening.

United officials are now reviewing the team’s security situation, but the trip to Jakarta now looks extremely unlikely as a result of the terrorist atrocities.

Advice on the British Foreign Office website as long ago as April suggested that “there remains a high threat from terrorism [in Indonesia].

A number of terrorist atrocities in Indonesia in recent years, including the attacks in Bali in 2002 and 2005, have ensured that the country continues to carry a “high” terror threat.

United, who have brought their first-team squad to the Far East, travel to all games with their own security team, which has accompanied the squad in the Far East.

Following the Jakarta leg, United are scheduled to fly to Seoul on Wednesday before concluding their four-stop trip in Hangzhou, China, next weekend.

A press conference in Kuala Lumpur is due to be staged by the club at 2 p.m. local time today. (ANI)