Susilo warns of more bombing attacks<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and
\nSecurity Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono warned here on Monday
\nthat bomb attacks on places of worships in the country would
\ncontinue in the next few days.<\/p>\n
\"Intelligence information which has been obtained by the
\npolice said that there are still efforts to launch similar
\nactions in other houses of worship,\" Susilo told a snap press
\nbriefing at his office.<\/p>\n
Susilo said the bombings could be carried out in the next few
\ndays by the same group on places of worship of other religions
\nwith the aim of setting communities at war with each other.<\/p>\n
His statement came as a series of Christmas Eve bombings at
\nchurches across the country Sunday killed at least 15 people,
\nincluding two police officers, and injured 96 others.<\/p>\n
The explosions raised suspicions that a well organized group
\n-- including elements within the security forces -- was
\nresponsible.<\/p>\n
But Susilo said so far nothing in the investigations indicated
\nthe hand of the armed forces or any other particular group.<\/p>\n
Susilo on Monday also called on the public to remain calm and
\nsaid that so far no decision has yet to be taken as to whether
\nthe government would soon impose an emergency status in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid said earlier in the day the aim of
\nthe bombings was \"to shake the government, create panic and fear
\nso that the government cannot function.\"<\/p>\n
He said the almost simultaneous explosions, in eight cities
\nlate on Sunday, showed the bombers were \"well organized\" and used
\nto cooperating.<\/p>\n
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf told a media
\nconference later on Monday that bombs went off almost
\nsimultaneously at around 9 p.m. in at least six provinces -
\nJakarta, East Java, West Java, West Nusa Tenggara, North Sumatra
\nand Riau - on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Of the 15 casualties, three were killed in Jakarta, six in
\nWest Java, one in East Java and five in Riau, Saleh said.<\/p>\n
He also said that police managed to defuse 16 out of 31 bombs
\nthey recovered on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Saleh said that most bombs were disguised as Christmas
\npackages sent to the churches shortly before the mass service and
\nthey were then remotely detonated.<\/p>\n
He also said that so far 48 people had been questioned by the
\npolice.<\/p>\n
National Police forensics chief Brig. Gen. Erwin Mapaseng told
\njournalists that some of the bombs contained trinitrotoluene
\n(TNT), in addition to substances such as sulfur and phosphate.<\/p>\n
\"There was TNT and this is among the high explosives ... in
\naddition to such substances as sulphur and phosphate,\" Erwin
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
But Erwin said the devices were \"conventional\" and different
\nfrom those used in attacks on the Jakarta Stock Exchange, the
\nAttorney General's office and the home of the Philippine
\nambassador earlier this year.<\/p>\n
One of the unexploded bombs, found against the southern wall
\nof Jakarta's Roman Catholic cathedral, weighed 13 kilograms
\npounds), he said, and another at an Anglican church 14 kilograms.<\/p>\n
Saleh earlier described the bombs as home made and said the
\nexplosives used in them were of a type \"not used by the
\nmilitary.\"<\/p>\n
Suspects<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, National Police chief's intelligence assistant
\nInsp. Gen. Ansa'ad Bei said on late Monday that police have
\nidentified two suspects in the bombings.<\/p>\n
Ansa'ad was quoted by Satunet news service as saying the two
\npeople had been declared suspects for building home-made bombs.<\/p>\n
He said the two were among a group of at least five people
\nbelieved to have been constructing bombs in a rented house in the
\nWest Java capital of Bandung, when one exploded accidentally
\nSunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Three people were killed in the explosion, while two others
\nwere hospitalized with injuries.<\/p>\n
\"They've now become suspects,\" Ansa'ad was quoted as telling a
\nmedia conference, by the Detik.com news service.<\/p>\n
He said, however, the two suspects were not yet well enough to
\nbe questioned intensively.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Moelyono Sulaeman
\nconveyed his apology early Monday for the Christmas eve bombings
\nin the capital city on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Speaking after an emergency meeting with Jakarta Governor
\nSutiyoso and religious leaders, Moelyono admitted that police did
\nnot anticipate that the bombs were planted in vehicles parked
\nnear the churches.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Sutiyoso had expressed condolences to the family of
\nthe victims and said that Jakarta administration would cover the
\nmedical expenses of those injured in the incident.(dja\/ylt)<\/p>",
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