Four down, more to go

Guarded praise should go to the National Police for their 'success' in capturing four suspects connected to the bomb that exploded in front of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on Sept. 9.

This and other similar achievements go a long way in bolstering the growing credibility of the nation's primary law enforcement agency to protect and serve the public.

The arrests confirm the government's assertion to the international community that it is doing all it can to capture the culprits and root out the terrorist network in this country.

It further solidifies the National Police's existence as an independent and capable body since it was separated from the Armed Forces four years ago. There had been lingering skepticism that police would be inadequately equipped to handle cases requiring elevated intelligence and investigative work since much of the work of that nature had been handled mostly by military intelligence agencies. But these and prior arrests in the Bali and Marriott bombings have shown that our police force can, when it truly puts its mind to it, peel away the concealed layers of the terrorist network.

It is extremely unfortunate that two other prime suspects -- Azahari bin Husin and Noordin M. Top -- remain at large. The two have been frequently referred to as the key planners and trainers in the most notable bombings of the past two years.

Despite a national manhunt, these two individuals continue to roam free, ready to plan their next target. Lamentably, it is these two individuals who are hardest to catch that represent the biggest threat to public safety.

We should reserve our criticism for the police officer's continued failings with regard to these two prime suspects. The masterminds are often the most difficult to apprehend. This fact should remind police not to rest on their laurels after the recent arrests, but spur them on to intensify their search.

If these two individuals are captured, we cannot be sure it will curb future terrorist attacks. But if they are allowed to remain at large it is certain, based on their record, that more bombing attempts will be made.

In the face of these challenges that lay before us -- the whole nation, not just the police -- we urge all security-related agencies to work together in capturing and preventing future terrorist threats. This is no time for inter-agency rivalries or jealousy between the military and police.

Exchange of information between the two important bodies should be done at will, not negotiated or traded for favors.

All elements of society should extend support to the ongoing search. The latest arrests reveal even more about the extent of the activities of these terrorists. Their trail -- from recruitment, training, execution to capture -- dots several towns stretching across Java. Furtively living among locals, they blend in with often oblivious communities.

That is why combating this national security threat, the police need support from government institutions and private individuals. This is not a time for the public to act ignorant. Victims of the Bali, Marriott and Australian Embassy attacks were all innocent bystanders, who had nothing whatsoever to do with the cause that the bombers are trying to cultivate.

Everyone suffers, whether the bomb is in Bali or Jakarta, so it should be a common goal for everyone to pursue mutual protection and public security.