Hoax bomb threats hit Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Several areas of the capital, still nursing wounds from two days of street violence, were disrupted by hoax bomb threats and rumors of fresh waves of riots yesterday.

The authorities evacuated several major office blocks in central Jakarta following anonymous calls that bombs had been planted in the capital's prime business areas.

Rumors of youths going on the rampage prompted the authorities to ask shopkeepers in Senen and Glodok to temporarily halt activities until further notice. Most stores reopened later in the afternoon

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said his headquarters received distress calls for bomb disposal squads from seven major office blocks during the day.

"Thank God, neither bombs nor other explosive devices were found in the buildings," he said.

The rumors came as calm returned to the city after two days of street violence following Saturday's bloody takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters by the government- backed Soerjadi camp from supporters of ousted leader Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Two people died, 26 people were injured, 34 buildings -- including seven banks-- were badly damaged and 91 vehicles destroyed when people went on the rampage Saturday and Sunday, according to the government.

The Jakarta Stock Exchange dropped 3.7 percent yesterday, as panicky investors ditched Indonesian stocks.

"The logic is people just want to get out because they're worried about further problems," said Eugene Galbraith, president of HG Asia as quoted by AFP.

At 5:30 p.m. (1030 GMT) the dollar was trading at 2,361 rupiah, down from Friday's close of 2,334 rupiah.

Soldiers carrying machine guns were seen patrolling city streets yesterday. Access to the disputed party headquarters was still sealed and heavily guarded.

Chaos reigned in some offices after anonymous callers warned that an explosion was imminent. A caller said bombs were planted on the 12th floor of the 21-story BRI I building and the 24th- floor of the 31-story BRI II building, an employee said.

E. Saeffudin, deputy security chief of Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), said he had ignored one calls before he was told that he should take the threats seriously and evacuate employees.

"The first call came at 10.05 a.m, when a man told us a bomb planted in our building was set to explode at 11 a.m.," he said.

"We thought it was only a hoax, but half an hour later came the second call, stressing he was serious with his threat. So we immediately decided to evacuate all the workers," he said.

The buildings that received bomb threats were the Ministry of Information, the Migas building owned by the state-owned oil company Pertamina, the Dharma Niaga building of the ministry of industry and trade, BRI I and BRI II towers which are both owned by the state Bank Rakyat Indonesia, the privately-owned Chase Plaza building and the YAI accountancy academy.

Anonymous callers also threatened to set fire to Senen and Glodok, two of Jakarta's main business districts.

Iman Haryatna said that by yesterday evening, the number of people being held for questioning for their roles in Saturday's riot had reached 215.

"They are under intensive questioning while we continue collecting evidence," he said, adding that he could not tell whether they are Megawati or Soerjadi supporters.

The authorities have seized dozens of jerry cans full of gasoline, several hundred iron bars and wreckage of three cars.

In latest developments, the authorities apparently began to prove they are serious about their plan to crack down on interest groups they believe were behind the riots.

Yesterday, the attorney general's office questioned politician Ridwan Saidi, the leader of the Indonesian People's Council, one of several non-governmental organizations the military has singled out as the instigators of the riots.

He said he was questioned by eight investigators from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m. on his organization, its activities and its demands.

"There is nothing new about the council's demands," he told The Jakarta Post after the questioning.

Established by labor activists, human rights campaigners, lawyers, political activists, journalists and women's rights activists, the council wants the government to lower prices, uproot corruption and overhaul the political system.

The activists come from 25 non-governmental organizations well-known for their critical stand against government organizations. These include Aldera, the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union and the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute.

On the number of deaths, chief of Central Jakarta police precinct Lt. Col. Abubakar Nataprawira said yesterday that the number of fatalities following Saturday's violence remained at two.

A PDI official loyal to Megawati claimed yesterday that 63 of his colleagues were missing and there had been no information on their whereabouts by last night.

He said the names of the missing party activists had been supplied by local party branches. (team)