Flyovers not yet a security priority: Police<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Despite two blasts under flyovers in the capital
\nin the past few days, the city police have not put flyovers at
\nthe top of their security priority list.<\/p>\n
City police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Adang Rochana said
\nthe police would continue to secure crowded areas like malls and
\ndepartment stores, buildings, traditional markets and business
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
\"No, no, not yet. We have deployed our patrol unit officers,
\nofficers on motorcycles and intelligence and detective personnel
\nto crowded areas. Unless the flyovers are suffering from
\nexcessive crowdedness, they do not come at the top of the
\npriority list,\" Adang told The Jakarta Post on Monday evening.<\/p>\n
A hand grenade, thrown by somebody either on foot or in a
\nvehicle, exploded on Sunday evening under the Mampang Prapatan
\nflyover in South Jakarta, just four days after a hand grenade
\nexploded under the Slipi flyover in West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In the Slipi flyover incident, one man died of injuries he
\nsustained in the blast.<\/p>\n
The fear among some lower-ranking city police officers is that
\na blast could occur under the Taman Ria Senayan flyover in
\nSenayan, Central Jakarta, located about 500 meters from the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
The Assembly is slated to convene a special session on Aug. 1,
\nwhich will likely lead to the removal of President Abdurrahman
\nWahid.<\/p>\n
\"We fear that other than the Taman Ria Senayan flyover ...
\nother targets could include the Semanggi flyover, which is only a
\nstone's throw away from the city police headquarters,\" a first
\nbrigadier from the Jakarta Police detectives unit told the Post
\non Monday.<\/p>\n
The blast on Sunday took place about 300 meters from the
\nMampang Prapatan police station.<\/p>\n
\"We need to pay special attention to flyovers and toll roads,
\nlike the Cawang toll road and the Tanjung Priok toll road, in the
\ncoming days ahead of the special session,\" the officer, who
\nrequested anonymity, said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Adang told reporters on Monday that police were
\ninvestigating the possibility that the people involved in both
\nblasts were from the same organization, considering that in both
\nincidents Korean-made hand grenades were used.<\/p>\n
\"The perpetrators could have possibly used the same vehicle
\nfor the blasts. We are checking into every possibility. We have
\nquestioned about 21 witnesses about the Mampang Prapatan blast.\"<\/p>\n
The incident on Sunday left at least five people injured. They
\nwere identified as Nur Lutfiah, who suffered injuries to her hip;
\nWiwik Sriyani, who suffered injuries to her arm; Anita, who was
\ninjured on her back; and Budi and Banjar, both of whom suffered
\nlight injuries to their necks.<\/p>\n
In the Wednesday blast at the Slipi flyover, which occurred at
\n8:30 p.m., police believe the explosive device was thrown from a
\ntruck crossing the flyover.<\/p>\n
This, however, was not the case in Sunday's blast, which
\noccurred at 6:50 p.m.<\/p>\n
\"We believe someone passing through the traffic light under
\nthe Mampang Prapatan flyover threw the explosive device and drove
\noff. Nobody saw anyone,\" South Jakarta Police deputy chief Adj.
\nSr. Comr. F.J.J. Mirah said.<\/p>\n
Separately on Monday, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said he would
\ndo everything in his power to guarantee the security of
\nexpatriates here.<\/p>\n
\"People, especially those from the international community,
\nshould entrust their security to us. So far, we have been able to
\nhandle security,\" Sutiyoso said at City Hall.<\/p>\n
He claimed that he had yet to receive a complaint from foreign
\nembassies about threats to their embassies, nor had any embassies
\nrequested special protection due to the current security
\nsituation in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"The current security situation is still normal,\" Sutiyoso
\nsaid. (ylt\/jun)<\/p>",
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