Muslim groups to guard churches over Xmas
Muslim groups to guard churches over Xmas
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Members of several Muslim organizations will help guard churches
over the Christmas and New Year period, a city official says.
The head of the Alert Division of the City Public Order
Agency, Surbakti, said on Thursday that 14 organizations would
deploy 7,700 personnel, including those from Muslim organizations
such as Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU) youth wing Ansor.
Other Muslim organizations include the Mosque Youth group and
the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).
Apart from Muslim organizations, the Betawi Association (Bamus
Betawi), Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and Pancasila Youths will
help 17,350 police and 7,000 public order officers assigned to
secure churches and other strategic places in the capital.
"The deployment of NGO workers is expected to create a secure
atmosphere during Christmas and New Year celebrations," Surbakti
said after a meeting with NGO leaders at City Hall.
Intelligence reports suggested earlier that terrorist groups
were planning to attack public places in the capital, including
churches and shopping centers, to avenge the death of Azahari bin
Hussin last month.
Azahari, along with Nurdin M. Top, had been accused of
masterminding a series of terrorist attacks across the country,
including the deadly 2002 and 2005 Bali attacks and the JW
Marriott Hotel explosion in 2003 and the Australian Embassy
attack in September 2004.
Nineteen people were killed on Christmas Eve in 2000, when
bombs thought to be planted by members of Jamaah Islamyah
exploded in dozens of churches across the country.
Surbakti said that all members of the organizations would work
under the coordination of the city police and the City Public
Order Agency.
A trial run involving city police, NGO workers and city public
order officer will be held on Dec. 24.
"After the trial run, the security personnel will be deployed
across the capital," Surbakti said.
City police operations chief Sr. Comr. Komang Udayana said
earlier that the police would pay special attention to 2,000
areas over Christmas and New Year's, including 1,200 churches,
embassies, malls, entertainment centers, hotels and resort areas.
Betawi Association deputy secretary-general Muhiddin Mochtar
expressed readiness to deploy members of the organizations over
the Christmas and New Year period.
"As an organization of native Jakartans, we are responsible
for making the capital secure for its residents, regardless of
race or religion," Muhiddin told The Jakarta Post on sidelines of
Thursday's meeting.
He expressed optimism that the involvement of members of
society in securing the holiday season would deter anyone wanting
to carry out an act of terror or any other form of violence.