January 1, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 27, 1423

NEW YORK, Dec 31: New year’s revellers around the world partied amid tight security, with New York’s mayor inviting the crowds to Times Square, Indonesia deploying 200,000 police and Sydney taking Olympic-style precautions for festivities that attracted hundreds of thousands.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg assured New Yorkers that Times Square, often called the crossroads of the world, would be secure for them to show up to watch the silver ball drop at the stroke of midnight.

“I think you are perfectly safe to go out tonight and go to Times Square,” he said in an interview on NBC television’s “Today” program. “We have no credible threats from any terrorist organization focused on New York City.”

His assurances came even as the FBI hunted five men believed to have entered the country illegally and wanted for questioning as part of the US-declared war on terror after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks.

All of New York’s expected 500,000 revelers will have to pass through metal detectors. Otherwise, normal precautions will be taken with thousands of extra police on duty, mailboxes and trashcans removed and manhole covers welded shut.

Wrapping up 2002 with a bit of good news, this most populous US city recorded its fewest murders, 82, in any year since the 19th century.

While there were no warnings of any specific terrorist attacks, police in the world’s major cities were working overtime to reassure the public that celebrations would be unmarred by terrorist violence.

With memories still fresh of the Bali bombings in October which killed more than 180 people, two-thirds of Indonesia’s police force were deployed around the world’s biggest Muslim nation, guarding shopping and entertainment centers, mosques, churches and public facilities.

In the capital, Jakarta, key roads were closed for a street party, but despite widespread tight security thousands of Indonesians turned out to see in 2003.

Even though their fabled tourist industry was devastated by the October blasts, Balinese put on a brave face at new year’s eve festivities on the famous Kuta Beach, just blocks away from where two bombs ripped through a number of nightclubs.

In Sydney, police imposed security not seen since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, banning cars from the central business district and blocking streets for a party which culminated in a massive fireworks display over the harbor.

After a year of drought, bushfires, the Bali bombings which killed up to 90 Australians and talk of terrorism, Sydney Lord Mayor Frank Sartor praised Sydneysiders for having the courage to party openly.—Reuters