Government undeterred by attacks

Government undeterred by attacks

JAKARTA (JP): The death toll in the wave of Christmas eve bomb
attacks rose to 16 on Thursday as the government said it was
unruffled by the terrorist attacks.

"We are ready to face terrorist attacks... we should not be
intimidated by anything because they are aimed at destabilizing
the government," President Abdurrahman Wahid was quoted by his
spokesman Wimar Witoelar.

Wimar said Abdurrahman, who has called the bomb attacks
"barbaric" and "politically motivated", admitted the current
challenges "really stabbed" his government.

Martinus, 16, became the latest casualty of the attack as he
died at around 1 a.m. while undergoing intensive medical care at
the St. Vincentius A Paulo hospital in the East Java capital of
Surabaya. The boy suffered from severe wounds in the blast that
rocked the Santo Yosef Catholic Church in the neighboring town of
Mojokerto.

The body of Martinus was buried in Mojokerto later in the day.

Umar Kasan, who headed the medical team for Martinus, said the
teenager's injuries were too serious for him to survive.

"His condition was quite critical because of severe wounds and
resulting complications. Besides, he lost too much blood," Umar
was quoted by Antara.

The doctor said Martinus suffered burns to his chest, head and
other parts of his body.

Martinus had undergone surgery to remove shrapnel from his
body and was scheduled to have a second operation before he died,
Umar said.

A member of Nahdlatul Ulama civilian militia (Banser),
Riyanto, was killed hours after the blast that damaged the
Catholic church.

Meanwhile the six remaining people injured in a series of
blasts in Mojokerto are still under intensive medical care.

Altogether 118 people were wounded in bomb blasts that
exploded in or outside churches in 14 cities across the country.
The attacks were condemned by both Christian and Muslim leaders.

Wimar said Abdurrahman was being kept up to date every six to
12 hours with "field reports" of the investigation from National
Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro.

"Many names have come to the surface," Wimar added, declining
to elaborate.

"There are (no names) that can be quoted at the moment...
first because I have no knowledge of them. Secondly, the police
chief has to pick the right time to announce the names because he
has to double-check them first."

Based partly on the almost-simultaneous timing of the blasts,
Abdurrahman has said he believed the bombers were well-
coordinated, well-funded and used to working together.

Defense minister M. Mahfud MD concurred. Speaking to the press
during a post-fasting get-together at his private residence in
Yogyakarta, Mahfud said a group belonging to the New Order regime
under former president Soeharto had masterminded the bombings.

"Judging from the modus operandi and the well-coordinated way
the attacks were conducted, I believe there are powerful people
from the New Order behind the bombings," Mahfud said.

He said the group has great opportunities to organize whatever
activity they wished now due to huge funds and experience in
running an effective government.

Mahfud said the people masterminded the bomb attacks to evade
the prosecution which Soeharto is facing for his alleged graft
during 32 years in power.

Asked if Abdurrahman had any comment on a United States State
Department warning advising against travel to Indonesia following
the bombings, Wimar said the move was "standard procedure for a
foreign embassy."

The State Department advisory warned that the U.S. embassy in
Jakarta had indications the bombings "may continue and that U.S.
interests may be targeted."

It urged Americans to avoid "nonessential" travel to Indonesia
and recommended the cancellation of all trips to the provinces of
Aceh, Maluku, Irian Jaya or East Nusa Tenggara.

No one has claimed responsibility for Sunday's deadly
explosions, but police have questioned dozens of people, and said
on Monday they had arrested two suspects in the West Java capital
of Bandung.

The suspects, identified only as Roni, 20, and Agus, 22, were
among six civilians injured in a blast that exploded in a shop
which police believe to have been used to store and assemble
bombs. The police also found leaflets about the terror campaign.

The shop owner, Aceng Suhari, remains at large.

Following the bomb attacks, a group of religious leaders
agreed on Tuesday to form a joint crisis center to deal with
inter-religious problems.

"The first center will be established in Jakarta," chairman of
the Indonesian Council of Churches (PGI) Nathan Setiabudi said in
an interview with Radio Elshinta.

The sudden meeting, held at the Borobudur Hotel in Central
Jakarta, was attended by representatives of all religions and
faiths in Indonesia, including Syafii Maarif, chairman of the
Muhammadiyah Muslim organization and Andi Jamarop, deputy
chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization.

After the meeting, the religious leaders met with President
Abdurrahman Wahid at the State Palace.

"The President welcomed the plan," said Nathan, without
elaborating.

The Borobudur meeting itself focused on the Sunday bombing of
churches and efforts to prevent the incidents from developing
into something worse, Nathan said. (23/nur/byg)