W. Java Police heighten security as Christmas, New Year near<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, West Java<\/p>\n
West Java Police have heightened security at public places,
\nespecially churches and places where Christians are to hold
\nChristmas gatherings in anticipation of disturbances during
\nChristmas and New Year.<\/p>\n
Bandung Police chief Sr. Comr. Hendra Sukmana, said on Monday
\nthat two-thirds of the security forces in the city, or 2,700
\npolice officers, would be deployed at strategic places and
\nbuildings to enhance security on Christmas Eve and New Year.<\/p>\n
He said that most police personnel in the city would guard
\nmajor churches and shopping centers in the town and use metal
\ndetectors to check visitors.<\/p>\n
"We are concentrating on those places because Christians will
\ngo to churches to pray and go shopping to prepare for the
\nChristmas celebrations," he said.<\/p>\n
Hendra said that there were hundreds of churches and dozens of
\nshopping centers scattered around the capital city of West Java
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
"The district police will take care of those places," he said,
\nnoting that the city had already been struck by bomb blasts this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Hendra said that Bandung Police would be assisted by the West
\nJava Police bomb squad.<\/p>\n
He said that security officers would be on a 24-hour alert
\nfrom Christmas until New Year's Eve.<\/p>\n
Bandung Police have also banned the public, hotels and other
\ninstitutions from using firecrackers or fireworks to mark the
\nchange of year because such explosives could easily be misused by
\nirresponsible people.<\/p>\n
"We emphasize that we will take strict measures against those
\nwho use fireworks or firecrackers during New Year's Eve parties,"
\nHendra said, adding that police would be in charge of security
\nand order during Christmas and New Year both in West Java and
\nBanten, excluding Tangerang.<\/p>\n
He added that anyone who used explosive devices would be
\nconsidered violators of Emergency Law No. 12\/1957 on the
\npossession of explosives.<\/p>\n
Hendra said that the ban had been announced to the public
\nthrough hotels, private radio stations and amusement centers
\nsince the fasting month of Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
"The city has been tranquil since Ramadhan because there is no
\nnoise of firecrackers and the public feels secure, too. Therefore
\nwe decided to maintain the ban," he said.<\/p>\n
Hendra said he feared possible blasts in this coming Christmas
\nand New Year season like the one that killed four people in
\nAntapani area in the city, on Dec. 24, 2001.<\/p>\n
The police suspect that the 2001 bomb blast is connected with
\na series of bombings on Christmas Eve in other cities of the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
One of the victims, Jabir, is alleged to be the instructor of
\nBali bombing suspect Imam Samudra in assembling bombs.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, West Java Police have prepared some 15,000
\npersonnel to maintain security across the province and Banten
\nahead of Christmas and New Year.<\/p>\n
Provincial police spokesman Muryan Faizal Saladin said that
\nhis office had given instructions to all police personnel to
\nguard recreational places that will be full of visitors during
\nthe holidays.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/w-java-police-heighten-security-as-christmas-new-year-near-1447893297",
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