NU civilian guards to help secure churches on Christmas eve

NU civilian guards to help secure churches on Christmas eve

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The involvement of civilian guards from Muslim organization
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in securing Christmas and New Year's
celebrations comes as a goodwill gesture as the end of the year
approaches.

The NU guards, called Banser, have agreed to back the police
in ensuring the peaceful celebration of Christmas and New Year's
as warnings have been issued over the possibility of attacks
against a range of targets.

A memorandum of understanding on security cooperation was
recently signed by the Indonesian Bishops Council (KWI) and
Banser, KWI spokesman Alex S. Wijoyo said here on Thursday.

"The MOU is about cooperation, including in security during
Christmas and New Year," he said after a meeting between the 2005
Christmas celebration committee and President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono.

Under the agreement, the guards will assist in securing
churches during Christmas. However, on New Year's Eve, they will
stand guard at entertainment venues and shopping centers.

Banser are the guards of Ansor, the youth wing of NU -- the
country's largest Muslim organization.

National Police chief of operations Comr. Gen. Insmerda
Lebang, who attended Thursday's meeting with the President, said
his force would deploy two thirds of its some 250,000 personnel
to safeguard end-of-year events.

"It will be just like security for Idul Fitri," he added.

The police will guard churches, malls and amusement centers,
particularly in big cities, Lebang said.

The police have required the installation of closed-circuit
television monitors at big churches in major cities across
Indonesia, where terror attacks may be planned.

Alex said the KWI was confident security authorities would do
their best to protect churches.

He said many Christians would go to church at Christmas time
despite the warnings.

State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar has
warned of possible plans by terrorists to launch more attacks in
some cities, including Jakarta, by the end of this month.

Attacks are being planned regardless of last month's killing
of master bombmaker Azahari bin Husin as his key accomplice
Noordin M. Top is still at large, he added.

A series of deadly terror attacks have been staged in the
country in recent years, including simultaneous church bombings
at Christmas time in 2000, which claimed 19 lives.

Meanwhile, President Susilo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla are
scheduled to attend the national celebration of Christmas on Dec.
27 at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu, who chairs the Christmas
celebration committee, said that among those in attendance would
be ministers, other top state officials and foreign ambassadors
as well as religious leaders.

Some 5,000 Christians, she added, were slated to join the
ceremony themed "Do Not Be Afraid Because I Am With You".