Object at BNI tower not a bomb

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)