Object at BNI tower not a bomb

JAKARTA (JP): An object found at Wisma BNI 46 tower, Central Jakarta, on Friday was not a bomb as initially reported, city police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said Saturday.

"There was an object which looked like an explosive device, but it turned out not to be a bomb after we analyzed it," he said.

"So please do not quickly jump to conclusions here. I want people to be calm."

Noegroho identified the object as a metal box.

He denied the earlier media statement of the detachment commander of the National Police bomb squad, Col. Jacky Uly, who said the object found on the ground floor was an explosive device replete with a timer.

"He (Jacky) was wrong," Noegroho replied to the media, adding the information should not have been reported so early in the investigation.

Asked why police responded slowly to the finding when it was reported by the security guards of the 50-story tower, Noegroho said: "They only reported it to the police at about 10 a.m. We had to check the report again to make sure, right?"

A tower security guard named Saifuddin, 35, found a 10 centimeter by 20 centimeter box at about 3 a.m. when he was about to go to the toilet.

He reported the finding to his superior at 6:30 a.m. and to the police three and a half hours later. The Gegana bomb squad reportedly arrived at the tower at 11 p.m.

Wisma BNI 46, the country's tallest building, was developed by PT Swadharma Primautama, a joint venture company formed by Dana Pensiun BNI, PT Tri Handayani Utama, the Salim Group and the Lyman Group.

Tenants include state Bank BNI, Bank Central Asia, Bank Danamon and a number of travel agents and restaurants. (edt)