Hostage freed during rehearsal

JAKARTA (JP): It was a swift operation -- even for a practice run. It took less than 15 minutes for the black clad soldiers to neutralize the rebels on top of a high building in Surabaya and free the hostage.

Members of the special unit from the Brawijaya Military Command scaled the tower, firing the entire way, and managed to free the hostage unharmed after wounding the rebels.

This mock hostage taking was part of a demonstration by a 40- strong specially trained unit at the Brawijaya Command Headquarters on Sunday, according to a dispatch by the Antara.

It was the main attraction at a ceremony marking the 49th anniversary of the command that oversees the security of East Java.

In this scenario, a rebel organized demonstration was purposely turned into a violent riot. As the military moved in on them, the rebels abducted a top government official in desperation.

The ceremony also included a display of synchronized martial arts, aerobics and a drill demonstration by the troops.

Brawijaya Military Command Chief Maj. Gen. Haris Sudarno, reading a message from Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar, said that the command must be constantly prepared for potential threats from within or outside its jurisdiction. (emb)