Elite trops display their mettle

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) put on a military exercise over the weekend in the Glodok area of West Jakarta to assure the public that it was ready to handle any disorder aimed at disrupting the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

About 130 soldiers from the Marine Corps and the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) were transported by 10 helicopters from Halim Perdanakusumah Airport to an electronic store in Glodok, where they descended on ropes to land on the building's roof.

The soldiers quickly deployed to secure the area, occupying strategic locations from where they could break up any social disorder threatening public and private facilities.

Bell, Puma and Skorky helicopters were employed in the exercise, the third of its kind in recent weeks.

Jakarta Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. DJ. Nachrowi said the exercise was routine practice for the units preceding the Assembly's General Session which began yesterday.

"We also want to demonstrate our professionalism to the public," said Nachrowi. He said the exercises were performed mostly at business centers, which were considered particularly prone to attacks from certain radical groups.

Security personnel have been put on special alert in the Glodok and Gajah Mada areas of West Jakarta, the Tanah Abang and Senen areas of Central Jakarta, the Kebon Bawang and Tanjung Priok areas of North Jakarta, the Blok M area in South Jakarta and Jatinegara in East Jakarta. (09)