SBY orders security tightened for holidays<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Palu<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered authorities on Monday
\nto tighten security ahead of the Christmas and New Year's
\nholidays following attacks on two churches in the Central
\nSulawesi capital of Palu.<\/p>\n
"There should be extra security measures for the Christmas and
\nNew Year's celebrations. Intelligence operations will be
\nconducted to prevent further disturbances," Coordinating Minister
\nfor Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo A.S. said after
\nmeeting with the President.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar also attended the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said the President had
\nsummoned the two top security officials to hear their reports on
\nthe latest developments in Palu, where five people were injured
\nin attacks on the Immanuel Church and Anugerah Church on Sunday
\nevening.<\/p>\n
"The President ordered the police to increase their presence
\nin potential hot spots like Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya and
\nMakassar, and to arrest the perpetrators of the attacks in Palu
\nas soon as possible," Sudi said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia was rocked by a string of bomb attacks on churches
\non Christmas Eve four years ago. The attacks left 19 people dead
\nand about 100 others injured.<\/p>\n
The church bombings preceded a series of blasts targeting
\nforeign interests in Bali on Oct. 12, 2002, the JW Marriott Hotel
\nin Jakarta on Aug. 5, 2003, and the Australian Embassy in South
\nJakarta on Sept. 9, 2004. The Jamaah Islamiyah regional terror
\ngroup has been blamed for the bombings.<\/p>\n
The church attacks in Palu are the latest in a series of
\nattacks there, including the murder in April of Ferry Silalahi, a
\nprosecutor handling terrorism cases, and the shooting death in
\nJuly of a woman minister, Susianti Tinulele.<\/p>\n
Da'i said the police were prepared to provide security during
\nthe Christmas and New Year's festivities. However, Sudi said the
\nPresident suggested that the police deploy more personnel and
\nincrease patrols to prevent attacks in other parts of the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Palu Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Noman Siswandi was dismissed
\non Monday for failing to prevent the church attacks on Sunday,
\nwhich took place almost simultaneously.<\/p>\n
"He (Siswandi) did not carry out orders to station extra
\npersonnel at houses of worship. He should have provided better
\nprotection for churches," Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig.
\nGen. Aryanto Sutadi said.<\/p>\n
Aryanto installed Adj. Sr. Comr. Guntur Widodo as his
\nreplacement.<\/p>\n
Siswandi was transferred to Central Sulawesi Police
\nHeadquarters without a position.<\/p>\n
Aryanto said Siswandi was removed from his post for failing to
\nprevent the church attacks on Sunday, as well as for his failure
\nto stop or solve earlier attacks.<\/p>\n
None of the killers of Ferry or Susianti have been captured,
\nand a team set up by Siswandi made several wrong arrests.<\/p>\n
Aryanto said the police had received descriptions of the
\nbombers of Immanuel Church on Jl. Masjid Raya in South Palu after
\nquestioning about 15 witnesses.<\/p>\n
The perpetrators had dark complexions and were riding a Yamaha
\nF1ZR motorcycle, Aryanto said, adding that before throwing a bomb
\nat the church the attackers opened fire on a 60-year-old security
\nguard, Binti Jaya.<\/p>\n
Four men carrying M-16 guns attacked Anugerah Church on Jl.
\nTanjung Manimbaya, some 800 meters south of Immanuel Church,
\nAryanto said.<\/p>\n
"They were riding a Yamaha RX King motorcycle with license
\nplate number DN 5334 AF," he said.<\/p>\n
He said he believed the attackers were linked to the earlier
\nmurders of Susianti and Ferry.<\/p>",
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