Bomb hoax delays campaign team

SURABAYA: A bomb hoax inflicted a one-hour delay on the flight carrying members of the campaign team of presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday.

Juanda airport officials asked passengers, including Lt. Gen. (ret) Sudi Silalahi, businessman Setiawan Djody and poet W.S. Rendra, to alight from Garuda Indonesia flight GA 321.

However, the airport's officer in charge, Sutadi, denied the bomb threat. "There was no bomb threat. Passengers were asked to evacuate the plane due to a technical problem."

Rumors of a bomb planted on the aircraft circulated quickly via Short Messaging Service text messages.

Garuda spokesmen Pudjobroto refused to comment.

The flight, on the Surabaya to Jakarta route, was scheduled to take off at 4 p.m. --Antara