5 years sought for bomber

JAKARTA: Prosecutors requested the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday to sentence Anang Sumpena to five years in prison for allegedly bombing Wisma Bhayangkari hall at the National Police headquarters compound.

"The defendant admitted planting the bomb on Feb. 15, 2003," prosecutor Ramos Hutapea told the court.

Anang, who was discharged from the force due to bad conduct, some months before the blast had confessed to the court in previous hearings that the bombing was a retaliatory attack against his boss.

Ramos said that the bombing was not meant to harm people. Nevertheless he has been charged with violating the 1951 Emergency Law and the Criminal Code on endangering public security. -- JP

;JP;BBY;Antara; ANPAj..r.. Great-holiday-terminal Bus terminal readies for masses JP/8/ready

Bus terminal readies for masses

JAKARTA: Kampung Rambutan, the largest bus terminal in the city, has provided 600 buses to operate for a week before the Idul Fitri holiday, expecting an increase in passenger demand of 30 percent during the holidays, when millions leave the city for their home villages.

Idul Fitri will fall on Nov. 25.

"We expect 30,000 holidaymakers to come through here during this year's holiday season," said Endi Leston the spokesperson for the company that manages the terminal on Wednesday during a visit from House of Representatives members. "The peak will be on Saturday (Nov. 22)," he added.

He said the bus operators also would provide an additional 200 buses for the two days before Idul Fitri, which marks the end of Ramadhan.

During the legislators' visit, the bus terminal was unusually clean of its usual trash, street vendors and ticket scalpers. -- JP