jakarta – Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda yesterday played down a report by The Straits Times outlining an apparent aborted terrorist plan to launch bomb explosions in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.

"I just laugh every time I'm asked about that. Why do I often argue about something which does not necessarily exist?" he said, referring to allegations of terrorist cells in Indonesia. He added that it was difficult to test the veracity of the article because it cited unnamed sources.

The report, which appeared in Monday's edition of The Straits Times, said that a document entitled "Jihad Operations in Asia" had been found by Indonesian intelligence officers in the Javanese city of Solo last October.

The document outlined plans to bomb embassies in the three capitals with satchels full of C-4 explosive on December 4 last year, the report said. The plans had stemmed from a leadership meeting of the Jemaah Islamiah group on September 28, more than a week before the United States-led air strikes on Afghanistan began.

Mr Hassan said the report might have been prompted by Indonesia's perceived sluggishness in dealing with terrorism, which he said was a misconception. "Maybe some people are not content on why, after Singapore and Malaysia arrested militant groups involved in terrorism, Indonesia has not yet" arrested anyone, he said. "We do what we think we need to do," he said.