Hoax bomb threats hit Jakarta

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)