Hotels urged to tighten security<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
City police urged all hotels on Friday to tighten security checks
\non vehicles entering their premises in the wake of a fresh
\nwarning issued by the U.S. embassy in Jakarta that terrorists
\nwere eying hotels frequented by Westerners in the capital.<\/p>\n
"We specifically call on hotel managers to maintain strict
\nchecks on all vehicles," city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono
\nannounced to the public.<\/p>\n
He also appealed to operators of shopping malls, office blocks
\nand entertainment centers to continue keeping a close look out
\nfor suspicious people.<\/p>\n
Tjiptono said the police would maintain a high alert status,
\nwith its full force deployed to ensure security in the capital.<\/p>\n
The special call to hotels was made after the U.S. Embassy, on
\nits official website, informed its citizens to stay away from
\n"lobbies of hotels frequented by westerners in Jakarta" amid
\npossible bomb attacks planned by extremists.<\/p>\n
The warning was made just four days after the U.S. Embassy
\nreopened to the public on Tuesday (May 31) after temporarily
\nclosing down -- since May 26 -- due to a similar threat of a bomb
\nattack.<\/p>\n
The embassy said the attacks were likely to occur around noon
\nbut there was not a date specified. There was no additional
\ninformation on the timing or method of the attacks.<\/p>\n
National police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar confirmed the bomb
\nthreat, saying, "Azahari and his ilk may be linked to the
\nthreat."<\/p>\n
He was referring to suspected terrorists Azahari Husin and
\nNoordin Moh. Top, the two Malaysian nationals are still at large
\nand believed to be the key people behind a spate of terror
\nattacks over the last few years.<\/p>\n
Police believe that they masterminded the 2002 Bali bombings
\nthat killed 202 people, the JW Marriott Hotel attack, which
\nclaimed 12 lives and the bombing outside the Australian Embassy
\non Sept. 9 last year. Police also said the suspects have
\nrecruited other people while on the lam to prepare for other
\nattacks.<\/p>\n
Chairperson of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association
\n(PHRI), Yanti Sukamdani, also confirmed the threat, but declined
\nto comment further.<\/p>\n
Police officers were seen on Friday checking cargo vans and
\ntrucks on city streets.<\/p>\n
Police have also asked for the Jakarta administration's help
\nin ensuring security.<\/p>\n
Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said that the administration had
\ncalled all heads of districts and subdistricts on Thursday and
\nbriefed them on the necessary measures to be taken to help
\nprevent any bomb attacks here.<\/p>\n
"We don't want to allow another attack, which will only
\nvictimize residents," said Fauzi at City Hall.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Governor Sutiyoso said citizen participation in the
\nsecurity measures could include the monitoring of all visitors at
\nrented homes and boarding houses, for instance. He added that it
\nwas of paramount import to stave off another terror attack.<\/p>\n
"That's a simple task to do for each resident, and would be a
\ngreat help for the police," Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
The country has endured many bombings of late, the most recent
\nof which coming last Saturday, which killed 21 people and injured
\napproximately 70 others in Tentena, Central Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
So far, police have arrested 13 people they believe are
\ninvolved in the bombings, including a prison warden and a
\ngovernment official in prison for graft.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hotels-urged-to-tighten-security-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}