186 people netted in raids at major bus terminals

186 people netted in raids at major bus terminals

JAKARTA (JP): The city police netted 186 people in raids at
the city's major bus terminals early on Sunday for carrying sharp
weapons, possessing drugs and not carrying their identification
cards, an officer said.

According to Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis,
the operation involved some 500 police officers from various
units and took place at, among others, the Pulogadung and Kampung
Rambutan bus terminals in East Jakarta. The raids began on
Saturday evening and lasted until Sunday morning.

"All of the suspects are now in our custody at city police
headquarters," Lubis said.

The Kampung Rambutan terminal was hit by a severe clash last
week following a confrontation between a pickpocket and a bus
crew.

At least two people were fatally stabbed and a number of cars,
handcarts, and food and drink stalls were vandalized and burned
during the clash.

Of the 186 people netted during the raids, 10 were arrested
for carrying weapons or marijuana, Lubis said.

The rest were arrested for failing to show their
identification cards, he said.

"The police have begun to collect personal data from the
suspects and are still completing dossiers for their trials," he
added.

Lubis did not explain whether the raids at the bus terminals
were prompted by Wednesday's clash at Kampung Rambutan, but
stated that "the raids were part of the city police's Kilat Jaya
(Thunder) operation".

Police officers taking part in the weekend raids included
detectives and members of the police's Mobile Brigade, On-Alert
and Speedy Reaction units, Lubis said.

He said the main targets of the operation were criminals
believed to be operating out of the bus terminals.

Hot spots

City and intercity bus terminals have become favorite
locations for criminals, particularly pickpockets and
extortionists.

Some bus terminals have witnessed battles among groups of
criminals trying to establish their control over the locations.

The Kampung Rambutan clash reportedly escalated into a riot
after the pickpocket reported his clash with the bus crew to his
colleagues.

On the other side of the clash, the bus crew and many people
operating businesses in the bus terminal, including food vendors,
could no longer contain their anger with the criminals.

As of Sunday, hundreds of security personnel were still
deployed in the bus terminal to prevent any new conflicts.

The weekend raids at the bus terminals, however, raised public
doubts because most of those arrested had reportedly already
settled their cases out of court.

However, Jakarta Police chief of detectives Col. Alex Bambang
Riatmojo insisted on Sunday that all of those arrested in the
raids, including those who failed to show their identification
cards, would be brought to court.

"They will be charged according to their violations," he said.

Many people also questioned the police operation because many
people now carried weapons for self-protection.

Purnianti, a criminologist from the University of Indonesia,
said, "People don't want to hear that a man who just bought a
knife for his wife and happened to be on his way home was
arrested in a bus terminal because he was carrying this weapon."

She suggested that the police be very careful and wise in
carrying out their raids if they wanted to avoid protests from
those arrested. (emf)