Police unleash first antiterror squad<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Police inaugurated on Thursday a 75-member antiterror
\ndetachment, called Den88, which is the country's first such
\nsquad. The ceremony at city police headquarters was marked with
\nthe enactment of a hostage-rescue situation and the disposal of a
\nmock car bomb.<\/p>\n
\"I hope Den88, the members of which have special skills to
\nprevent terrorist attacks -- in intelligence, investigation and
\ncrisis management -- can help us combat terrorism in every
\npossible way,\" city police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said.<\/p>\n
Adj. Sr. Comr. Tito Karnavian was appointed as chief of Den88,
\nwhich comprises a 28-member crime squad, a 14-member intelligence
\nteam and a seven-member investigative team.<\/p>\n
Director of the National Police's antiterror and bomb squads
\nBrig. Gen. Pranowo, said the Den88's name was derived from the
\nnumber of Australian fatalities in the Bali bombings on Oct. 12,
\n2001.<\/p>\n
\"Australia suffered the highest number of fatalities in Bali.
\nBesides, the figure eight is written as a continuous line, which
\nrepresents the police's continuous effort to combat terrorism,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has been one of terrorist attack targets nationwide.
\nThis year, two blasts occurred: in Cimanggis, Depok, in the south
\nof Jakarta, in February, and at the General Elections Commission
\n(KPU) office on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, in July. No
\nfatalities were reported in the blasts.<\/p>\n
Last year, an attack on the JW Marriott Hotel in Mega
\nKuningan, South Jakarta, left 12 people dead and 147 injured.<\/p>\n
Currently, 13 people have been sentenced to jail while three
\nothers are awaiting trial.<\/p>\n
Den88 is the first of three planned provincial-level
\nantiterror squads.<\/p>\n
\"The three detachments will be inaugurated as soon as their
\nmembers are trained,\" Pranowo said, but he declined to name the
\nthree provinces.<\/p>\n
Both Firman and Pranowo declined to say whether the police had
\nreceived financial or training assistance from foreign countries,
\nsuch as Australia or the United States.<\/p>\n
However, the Associated Press reported that the detachment had
\nbeen trained by United States military officials. It also said
\nsquad members had made several arrests in Indonesia since
\ngraduating from a training center on the southern outskirts of
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The academy is funded by Washington and is staffed by
\nAmericans. It teaches hostage rescue, crime scene investigation
\nand bomb disposal,\" AP said.<\/p>\n
Some of the Den88 members have been involved in the arduous
\nmanhunt for the perpetrators of terrorist attacks since the Bali
\nbombings.<\/p>",
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