JP/5/Sniper

JP/5/Sniper

Snipers, bomb squad deployed to tighten security

Nana Rukmana
and Suherjoko
The Jakarta Post
Cirebon/Semarang

Ensuring a safe return home to celebrate religious holidays is
no longer limited to the prevention of traffic accidents; snipers
and bomb squads from the Police Mobile Brigade will also guard
against more sinister possibilities.

They are among at least 3,600 police personnel to be deployed
during the Idul Fitri exodus traffic along the north coast area
of West Java, 10 days prior to the celebrations due to fall on
Nov. 25-26.

They will also safeguard several vital spots along the north
coast from possible terrorist attacks or armed robberies during
the celebrations. Police have also warned against terrorist
suspects on the run.

Cirebon Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sunaryono said the
security operations called Operasi Ketupat Lodaya 2003 were under
supervision of the West Java police headquarters.

The security personnel will be assigned to guard the exodus
rush from the Sukra subdistrict in Indramayu regency to the
Losari subdistrict in Cirebon regency.

Security personnel will also be posted on a number of
alternative routes in Majalengka, Kuningan, Indramayu, Cirebon
regencies and Cirebon municipality.

Snipers will be placed in strategic places to deter any crimes
during the exodus.

"They will be on alert 24-hours-a-day along the north coast
highway equipped with vehicles of high agility, which can slip
through crammed traffic and rapidly overcome criminal
activities," Sunaryono said. He would not say the number of
snipers that would be deployed.

Several areas of high economic value will be guarded by the
snipers, including the Balongan oil refinery, the Pertamina
Treatment Unit VI in Indramayu regency, Western Java Upstream
Operation Area of Pertamina, PT BAT (British American Tobacco)
and PT Gas Indonesia in Cirebon mayoralty. They will also guard
PT Indocement Tunggak Perkasa in Palimanan, Cirebon regency.

The operation will also be backed by elite troops from the
West Java Mobile Brigade of Battalion C.

"The oil refinery in Balongan supplies fuel for Jakarta and
West Java. We regard it as a very vital installation," he said.

The crime-prone spots to be manned by snipers are the areas
around the Subang-Indramayu regency borders, the Patrol area,
Karangampel-Krangkeng highway in Indramayu regency and several
other places in Cirebon, Majalengka, Cilimus and Kuningan
regencies.

Antara also reported that Cirebon's health agency would deploy
at least 200 medical assistants and paramedics at 29 health posts
along the north coast highway and alternative routes. Dadang
Prihadi, the head of the agency said they would be on duty around
the clock.

"Every post will be manned by six health workers who will
take turns in three shifts. So there will be two persons on duty
in one shift ready at the public health center near the posts,"
he said. The main post at the health office would monitor every
post, he added.

In anticipation of traffic accidents in remote areas, two
ambulances from the traveling public health centers would be
deployed.

In Semarang on Friday Central Java Police Chief Insp.Gen. Didi
Widayadi of Semarang, said any civilian party wanting to set up
coordinating posts during the holiday season must collaborate
with the police. "There will not be any posko (posts) belonging
to one political party or organization," he said in reference to
the tendency of setting up posts to help travelers.