The shock waves from the attack in Bali that claimed over 180 lives was felt on several levels in the United States yesterday.
An exodus of Americans has begun from Indonesia similar to that from Pakistan after September 11th last year. The US State Department has ordered all dependants of American diplomats to leave Indonesia along with all non-essential personnel, and has warned US citizens against travelling to the region. It is re-evaluating its own presence in the largely Muslim country where it has consulates in several cities.
US travel agents yesterday reported cancellations of holiday bookings in Bali, as American tourists see south-east Asia transformed into dangerous terrain for foreign nationals.
The markets on Wall Street, which had been recovering in recent days, slumped on the opening yesterday, reflecting a downturn in Asian markets in the aftermath of the Bali explosions, though they recovered somewhat in later trading.
The bombing in Bali was seen in Washington as opening a new front on the US war against terrorism. This has sharpened the debate in the US on whether the recent surge of attacks are being directed or merely inspired by al-Qaeda.
Even before Bali, the US had become increasingly concerned about attacks on American troops and civilians abroad and on its economic interests. On Thursday last week, the White House homeland security director, Mr Tom Ridge, using a secure telephone system, briefed more than 100 US business executives on the increased risk to American economic targets.
The same day the State Department issued a Worldwide Caution Public Announcement warning Americans of the continuing threat of terrorist actions against civilians in "clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools or outdoor recreation events".
Concern is growing about the vulnerability of US-linked institutions such as international schools where American nationals send their children. Last week the Bush administration also issued a warning bulletin to law-enforcement agencies of the possibility of new attacks in the United States and abroad.
This followed the upsurge in terrorist activity in the Gulf region, including sniper fire directed against US troops in Kuwait, the October 6th holing of a French oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, and an explosion in the Christian city of Zamboanga in the Philippines.
This last was blamed on Abu Sayyaf militants with a world view similar to al-Qaeda's, that killed an American soldier and two Filipino civilians.
In a statement condemning the explosions in Bali, President Bush did not mention the al-Qaeda network or any other terrorist group by name for what he called "a cowardly act designed to create terror and chaos". He said the US had offered Indonesia assistance "to help bring these murderers to justice", and officials confirmed that FBI agents had gone to the scene of the bombings.
An FBI official was quoted yesterday as saying the release last week of taped statements by Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, threatening attacks on American economic interests had been shown to al-Qaeda detainees held in Cuba and that they interpreted the contents as a sign for units to renew terrorist activity.
A similar warning in the form of a fatwa, or religious ruling, was issued in 1998 by al-Qaeda, calling for attacks against Americans worldwide just before deadly explosions occurred at US embassies in Africa.
US intelligence officials are also trying to determine if the attacks are part of a co-ordinated campaign, with hidden messages on the tapes activating al-Qaeda cells, or if they are freelance acts carried out by sympathisers not directly under the control of the al-Qaeda organisation.
Analysts say the high number of casualties from Western countries in Bali will likely help the Bush administration's attempts to see terrorism as a global threat rather than an American problem. However, the event also raises questions about the White House's preoccupation with Iraq, giving impetus to critics who say US resources should be concentrated on trying to cope with the threat from al-Qaeda.