Christmas passes peacefully despite fear of terror attacks<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite the threat of terrorism, hundreds of thousands of
\nIndonesians across the country packed full churches under tight
\nsecurity in what was regarded as a peaceful Christmas celebration
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
A bomb threat made to a church in Pontianak, West Kalimantan
\nand another in Medan, North Sumatra, and the discovery of a large
\ncache of explosive materials in Palu, Central Sulawesi were the
\nonly incidents that marked an otherwise quiet holiday.<\/p>\n
Security, however, was tight with about 300,000 police
\nofficers and soldiers manning churches, shopping malls and other
\npublic areas in cities throughout the country. Worshipers were
\nfrisked, bags were checked and in some churches metal detectors
\nwere installed at entrances.<\/p>\n
Security members of other civilian groups from religious and
\npolitical organizations were also seen guarding a number of
\nchurches in East Java and other areas.<\/p>\n
The measures came in the wake of increased terrorist threats
\nin the nation. More than 190 died in the Bali bombing in October,
\nand 19 were killed on Christmas Eve two years ago when bombs
\nexploded almost simultaneously at scores of churches across the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
This year saw better security to safeguard churchgoers, and
\nJakarta saw thousands turning out to attend services at places of
\nworship.<\/p>\n
Some 9,000 people attended the Christmas Eve service at
\nCentral Jakarta's cathedral, which held three masses that lasted
\nuntil midnight.<\/p>\n
Churchgoers patiently queued as security personnel checked
\nthem with metal detectors at the cathedral's two main entrance
\ngates.<\/p>\n
\"We do not have to worry too much as the situation is getting
\nbetter,\" said the chairman of the Bishops Council of Indonesia
\n(KWI), Julius Kardinal Darmaatmadja.<\/p>\n
The cathedral employs its own security personnel and together
\nwith plainclothes police officers, they maintained security
\nwithin the church.<\/p>\n
Outside and elsewhere in Jakarta members of youth wings of
\npolitical parties, religious groups and civilian organizations
\nstood by or helped police direct traffic.<\/p>\n
Churchgoers throughout the rest of Indonesia observed a
\nsimilarly quiet, but tightly secured Christmas.<\/p>\n
Christians in the predominately Hindu island of Bali shrugged
\noff fear of another terror strike after Oct. 12, and attended
\nChristmas Eve sermons in Denpasar.<\/p>\n
The St. Joseph Church in Denpasar, known for its Balinese-
\nstyle architecture, was packed with worshipers and hundreds had
\nto listen to the sermon from outside the church.<\/p>\n
\"Our country received the most beautiful Christmas gift of
\nall, and that is the cessation of hostilities agreement between
\nthe Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM),\" said
\nFather Subaga SVD in his sermon, referring to the recent peace
\naccord signed recently.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri spent the last few hours of
\nChristmas in the province of Papua, where she arrived for the
\nfirst time on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, the occasional sound of exploding firecrackers
\nmarked a noisy but solemn Christmas in Ambon, the capital of
\nMaluku, where Muslims and Christians fought each other for some
\nthree years before signing a peace accord last February.<\/p>\n
However, foreigners remained cautious and few went to church,
\nAP reported. \"Many of my friends have left the country, but I am
\nstuck here,\" said Matthew, an American citizen who was among the
\nfew foreigners at the All Saint's Church in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The United States, Britain and Australia have warned their
\ncitizens against attending church services or public gatherings
\non Christmas in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Western interests are seen at risk of terrorist attacks,
\nespecially after Bali, where most of the victims in the bombing
\nwere foreigners.<\/p>\n
Police investigating the Bali bombing uncovered a network of
\nhard-liners that they believe belongs to Jamaah Islamyiah (JI) --
\na regional terrorist organization with alleged links to al-Qaeda.<\/p>\n
Findings from the investigation have also pointed to the
\nlikelihood of JI's involvement in the Christmas bombings in 2000.<\/p>\n
In another disturbing development, Central Sulawesi Police
\nfound on Wednesday a large cache of explosive materials of the
\nsame type used in the Bali bombing, but in a larger amount.<\/p>\n
About 250 kilograms of ammonium nitrate -- a type of
\nfertilizer that can be used to make explosives -- was found in
\nthe provincial capital of Palu.<\/p>\n
Police found 10 sacks of ammonium nitrate inside a Kijang
\nminivan, Antara reported. The driver was arrested, but police are
\nstill searching for the owner of the chemical.
\nFrequent bomb blasts in the region have put at risk a peace deal
\nto end years of sectarian clashes between Muslims and Christians.<\/p>\n
Police are also investigating a bomb threat made to a
\ncathedral in Pontianak, East Kalimantan, on Christmas Eve. A
\npolice bomb squad did not find anything after searching the
\nchurch compound.<\/p>\n
A similar incident occurred at the Charismatic Worship Service
\nchurch in Medan, North Sumatra.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/christmas-passes-peacefully-despite-fear-of-terror-attacks-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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