City beefs up security fearing gang war<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Two days after the fatal shooting of a gang member by a public
\norder officer, the city administration mobilized its full forces
\non Friday to anticipate a possible retaliatory attack.<\/p>\n
\"I don't want my men to die because they are not prepared for
\na possible gangster ambush,\" City Public Order Agency head
\nSoebagio, who is a retired military officer, said.<\/p>\n
Soebagio said he has briefed half of his 5,000-strong group of
\nofficials earlier in the day and told them to patrol only in
\ngroups of four and to arm themselves with batons and daggers.<\/p>\n
The officers were still at their posts at the National
\nMonument (Monas) park and along the city's thoroughfares on
\nFriday, but in greater numbers, he said.<\/p>\n
The victim, John Albert, 39, died on Thursday after being shot
\non Wednesday afternoon while guarding a plot of land on Jl. HR
\nRasuna Said, South Jakarta, where some 100 public order officers
\nwere deployed to help watch over the fencing of another site
\nnearby.<\/p>\n
The victim is said to be a member of a gang led by Hercules, a
\ngang leader who has made his name in Tanah Abang, Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
While police have detained the alleged gunman, Krisman
\nSiregar, many in the administration said they were still afraid
\nto walk the streets.<\/p>\n
The fear had increased after two minivans belonging to the
\ncity's forestry monitoring unit were vandalized by an
\nunidentified men.<\/p>\n
\"I also received information that the gang carried out a sweep
\nto look for city public order officers in city streets last
\n(Thursday) night,\" Soebagio said.<\/p>\n
He had asked police to help safeguard City Hall but Jakarta
\nPolice spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono played down the danger of an
\nattack, saying there was no need to deploy special troops there.<\/p>\n
\"We don't want the public to get carried away by provoking
\nstatements, which may spark more violence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, city police detectives chief Sr. Comr. Mathius
\nSalempang said he had contacted Hercules by phone to persuade him
\nto leave the case to the police.<\/p>\n
Hercules could not be reached by The Jakarta Post for comment.<\/p>\n
No city officials were able to confirm the reason for the
\npresence of hundreds of unidentified men dressed in black in City
\nHall corridors since Thursday, however, the men said they were
\nguarding the compound.<\/p>\n
While asserting that he would not tolerate a reign of thuggery
\nin the capital, Governor Sutiyoso appeared to explain why he had
\nlet these unidentified men into his office.<\/p>\n
\"One must be able to distinguish between good gang members
\nand bad gang members,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-beefs-up-security-fearing-gang-war-1447893297",
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