Packages of silicone cause commotion at the airport
Packages of silicone cause commotion at the airport
Evi Mariani and P.C. Naommy, Jakarta
Three packages at the center of a bomb scare at the Soekarno
Hatta International Airport on Tuesday turned out to contain a
harmless substance, police said.
The scare began when the packages, part of the baggage of a
Garuda airlines domestic passenger, went through an airport X-ray
machine.
Airport staff suspected the packages, which were packed with a
fine grainy substance, contained bomb chemicals.
Security officials contacted the police, who then called
members of the bomb squad.
After further examination, it was found the packages contained
silicone silt, a harmless substance, Jakarta Police chief of
detectives Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang said. Silicone silt is
commonly used as an industrial insulator.
Despite the find, airport officials later confiscated the
packages for testing at the National Police Headquarters.
The packages belonged to Ramli Aceh, who told officials he was
overseeing electrical installations at the PT Semen Andalas
cement factory in Aceh.
Ramli and two associates were allowed by the officials to take
their Garuda flight at 6:40 a.m. to Medan.
The director of airport operator PT Angkasa Pura, I Gusti Made
Dordi, said security officers did not prevent the three men from
flying because they did not want passengers to complain about a
delay.
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung
Soedjono said police had contacted the Polonia Airport Police in
Medan, who would question the three passengers upon their
arrival.
Salempang said while the silicone was not categorized as a
hazardous substance, it could be used for making bombs.
Silicone silt is usually used to insulate electric cables.
"The silt is being checked at the forensic lab at the National
Police headquarters ... we're waiting for the complete result to
determine the next step," he said.
"We are also waiting for the results of the police
investigation in Medan," Salempang said.