False alarm jangles nerves at police HQ

JAKARTA (JP): Fear gripped officers at the National Police Headquarters on Tuesday when a suspected bomb was found in the Wisma Bhayangkari Meeting Hall, located next to the National Police Information Center on Jl. Senjaya in South Jakarta.

The National Police bomb squad arrived at the scene at about 9 a.m. and searched the meeting hall, where a black bag believed to contain a bomb had been found.

The bomb squad chief at the scene, Adj. Sr. Comr. Bambang Ramelan, said his officers had possibly found a timer and detonator in the bag.

However, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi announced at 2 p.m. that the bag did not contain a bomb.

"Only some batteries, wiring and condenser were found in the bag. Nothing else. Someone doing work in the meeting hall must have left the bag," Didi said.

There was another bomb scare on Tuesday on Jl. Panti Asuhan in East Jakarta.

A neighborhood boy found a package that was believed to contain a bomb. The bag was blown up by the National Police bomb squad and the remains taken back to their headquarters for examination.

"It turned out to be a loud speaker, placed in a shoe box and covered in yellow wrapping paper," East Jakarta Police chief of detectives Comr. Agus Irianto said.

Over 70 people were injured on Sunday in bomb blasts at the Santa Anna Catholic Church and the Huriah Kristen Batak Protestant Church, both in East Jakarta.

A 26-year-old woman, Lita Sugiharto, received severe injuries to her stomach and hands on Monday when she opened a package that contained a bomb.

The package had been delivered to her aunt's home on Jl. Semarang in Menteng, Central Jakarta, where Lita had been staying for the past six months.

The Central Jakarta Police believe they have identified the person who sent the package to Lita.

Central Jakarta Police chief of detectives Comr. Angesta Yoyol Romano said the package had been delivered to the home of Lita's aunt, Ninik Sugiharto, by PT Dakota Jaya Cargo, whose office is located on Jl. Pahlawan Revolusi in East Jakarta.

Yoyol contacted the cargo company and found they had received the package on July 20 from an expedition firm, PT Brantang Dinaga Raya, located on Jl. Brantang in East Surabaya, East Java.

The package was addressed to the boardinghouse Lita had been staying at on Jl. Ngagel Taman in Surabaya. After obtaining Lita's forwarding address, Brantang Dinaga sent the package to Lita through Dakota Jaya.

Police sources said the police were searching for the man who provided Brantang Dinaga with Lita's forwarding address. The sources said police were also looking for a man named Dwi Yulianto, who reportedly had had a relationship with Lita in Surabaya. (ylt)