Elite trops display their mettle

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)