Kopassus helps police curb terrorism

JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro admitted on Friday to having asked for backup from the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in police efforts to fight terrorism.

"Twenty-five Kopassus members from the antiterrorism group are now helping us at Jakarta Police headquarters," Bimantoro said.

Jakarta, according to Bimantoro, was considered to be the main target for terrorists. Medan and Surabaya could also be targets, he added.

The Kopassus members were assigned to help police identify cases and assist them in investigating the criminal aspects of terrorism cases.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam separately said that the police had their specializations as did Kopassus.

"But we work together. In the investigation of a case, Kopassus will work as the antiterror group while the police will continue to work as the crime investigators," he said.

Bimantoro said that the National Police's intelligence unit actually had a hunch about the possible presence of an international terrorist group cooperating with local accomplices due to the widespread smuggling of weapons and explosives.

He further said the police had forged collaboration with the relevant parties to curb weapons and explosives smuggling in an effort to block the flow to terrorists.

"It is difficult but we're working on it. The smuggling rings are very tidy. Sometimes they work with insiders from companies so we can't detect whether there is smuggling or not because the documents are legal," he said.

Lt. Gen. (ret) A.M. Hendropriyono, the chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), warned on Thursday that the country was vulnerable to infiltration by international terrorists.

He also acknowledged the difficulty of curbing international terrorism within the country and therefore said his agency would focus on fighting its domestic accomplices.

The presence of international terrorists here emerged after security officials claimed that a series of terrorist attacks in the country were allegedly linked to foreign terrorist groups.

In a related development, Vice President Hamzah Haz ordered on Friday that the National Intelligence Agency restore order in the country's troubled regions.

Hendropriyono said after meeting with Hamzah Haz at the vice presidential palace that "a lot of matters must be handled and secured", Antara reported.

He, however, declined to elaborate, saying he had made a full report to the Vice President. (emf)