Active grenades only used by soldiers: Police
JAKARTA (JP): City Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman said on Tuesday that live or active grenades similar to those found on a railway track in Bekasi, West Java were commonly used by soldiers.
But the police chief refused to speculate that certain members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) were involved in the planting of the grenades.
"Active grenades are only used by soldiers... the Army. The only grenades police officers use are smoke grenades (bombs). They're normally used to disperse violent protests," Mulyono told The Jakarta Post over the phone.
"But up till now, police have not found any indication that any member of the TNI was involved."
Three active grenades were luckily found by a herder on Monday in the middle of, and under the railway tracks between the Lemah Abang railway station of Bekasi, and Kedung Gede railway station of Karawang.
Meanwhile, Bekasi Police chief Adj. High Comr. Idrus Gassing said a Rp 10 million (US$1049) cash reward has been prepared by the Jakarta Police for whoever knows or has seen the person or people who planted the explosives.
"This was told to me personally by Jakarta Police Deputy Chief (Brig. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara). The person who gets the award must also be ready to testify as a witness in court, if necessary," Idrus told the Post.
The herder who found the grenades, Taufik, 15, had alerted the Lemah Abang railway station at about 2 p.m. on Monday, which in turn alerted the police.
All trains passing the Lemah Abang-Kedung Gede routes were delayed for three and a half hours on Monday, as the National Police bomb squad cleared the railway tracks.
When asked if the planting of the grenades was a terror tactic aimed to stop Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) supporters from amassing in Jakarta, Mulyono simply said: "We have not found any proof of that yet."
The grenades were planted on tracks on which trains from Surabaya, East Java head for Jakarta.
NU supporters, mainly based in East Java, planned to flood into the capital after hearing reports of a possible massive rally against President Abdurrahman Wahid, who is a highly respected figure in the NU, on Jan. 15.
Idrus added on Tuesday that the Jakarta Police were "still completely in the dark about the suspects.
"The only way we are going to solve this case is if there is a witness who saw someone actually planting the bombs," Idrus said.
Idrus said that the Bekasi Police had also planned to reward the herder, Taufik, for his vigilance with a three-year scholarship. The award will be made on Wednesday at Gedung Waringin police subprecinct.
"He is in junior high school now. Though we cannot repay Taufik for what he has done... he has saved several people from getting killed, the Bekasi Police will fund Taufik's high school studies for the next three years," Idrus said.
Separately, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunication Agum Gumelar condemned on Tuesday the planting of the grenades, calling it a sabotage which was aimed at inciting riots and conflict among people.
"I cannot imagine, the number of lives which would have been lost, had those grenades exploded. The public must help the police, in every possible way," Agum said.
Following the grenade findings, state-owned railroad company PT KAI tightened its control of the tracks.
Spokesman for the company, Gatot Wibowo, said on Tuesday that PT KAI had instructed all field officers responsible to double check safety standard procedures.
"The officers have been told to always check not only the tracks, but bridges and crossing lights," Gatot told The Jakarta Post by phone from Bandung.
Gatot also said the company has raised the alert to its highest level throughout all its operational areas across Java and Sumatra. (04/ylt/tnt)