Time bomb defused ahead of congress<\/p>\n
SURABAYA, East Java (JP): Police on Friday managed to defuse a
\ntime bomb planted near the city's main sports arena, where a
\ncongress is scheduled to be held on Sunday to support President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Sutanto said the 500-gram
\nexplosive device containing trinitrotoluene (TNT) was found at a
\nditch near the south gate of the Gelora Pancasila Stadium by one
\nof the stadium's security guards, Suhardjo.<\/p>\n
"As soon as he found the bomb, he contacted the bomb squad,
\nwho then worked for some 15 minutes to defuse the explosive,"
\nSutanto told reporters.<\/p>\n
The bomb, set to explode at 11:30 a.m., was wrapped in a piece
\nof paper, adhesive tape and put inside a black plastic bag. A
\ntimer was also found next to the bag.<\/p>\n
"The set time was around the time people would have gone to
\nperform Friday prayers. Alhamdulillah (Thank God), the explosive
\nwas found and defused before it exploded. Our officers even
\nmanaged to dismember the cables, detonator, the explosive
\nmaterial and the fuse," Sutanto said.<\/p>\n
The two-star general, however, refused to speculate on the
\npossible perpetrators of the crime, saying, "We need only to
\nthank God that it did not explode. That's all."<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on the possible connection between the
\nbomb and the planned East Java People's Congress on Sunday,
\nSutanto only said that he had not received any notification from
\nthe event's organizers.<\/p>\n
Sutanto announced that he had asked organizers to think twice
\nbefore continuing with the planned gathering in a bid to maintain
\npeace and stability in the province.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, some 10,000 people, claiming to be supporters of
\nPresident Abdurrahman, are scheduled to assemble at the stadium
\nto state their rejection to the special session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
The congress is jointly organized by National Democratic
\nParty, Democratic Youth, the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) and
\nLove The Nation Democratic Party (PDKB).<\/p>\n
Antara quoted chairman of the event organizer Achmad Bachtiar
\nBalukh who denied that the bomb finding was related to his event
\nas saying, "It is a ploy by certain groups to create controversy.
\nI don't think it is true to say that the bomb was meant to
\ninstill terror in all those wishing to attend the people's
\ncongress."<\/p>\n
Separately, East Java Governor Imam Utomo speculated that the
\nexplosives were planted by certain parties to disrupt the
\nsecurity situation in his province.<\/p>\n
Imam admitted that he had not received reports from his
\nsubordinates but said he would contact East Java Police chief
\n(Brig. Gen. Sutanto) for details.<\/p>\n
"I don't know who might have done this (plant the bomb) but
\nthey must be those who want to disrupt East Java," Imam told
\nreporters before departing for shooting exercises with other
\nexecutives at the provincial administration. (nur\/emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/time-bomb-defused-ahead-of-congress-1447893297",
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