Police beef up security measures at churches
Police beef up security measures at churches
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
With Christmas drawing near, police are beefing up security
around churches and other places of worship in the capital and
neighboring towns.
City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said on Tuesday a
joint force from the police, city administration and the military
would step up security around at least 728 churches and other
places of worships in Greater Jakarta.
Though the latest intelligence suggests suspected terrorist
mastermind Noordin M. Top is somewhere in Central Java, "there
are concerns his group could send new recruits to carry out
bombings during Christmas at churches and other places of
worship", Firman Gani said at City Hall.
Representatives from the city police, Jakarta Military
Command, Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, city administration and the
City Council held a coordination meeting on Tuesday to assess the
current situation, and to map out security arrangements during
the Christmas holiday.
Regional terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah is thought to have
been responsible for bombings at over a dozen churches across the
country on Christmas Eve in 2000.
The group has also been accused of being behind a number of
other terrorist attacks in the country, including the first Bali
bombings in October 2002, and the J.W. Marriott hotel attack in
2003 and the bombing near the Australian Embassy in 2004, both in
Jakarta.
Police dealt the JI a blow when it killed suspected bombmaker
Azahari bin Husin and arrested several alleged group members in
recent raids in Batu, East Java, and Semarang, Central Java.
However, Noordin, who is thought to be JI's main recruiter,
was able to elude arrest.
Intelligence reports have suggested the group is planning
attacks in several areas of the country in response to Azahari's
death.
Firman said the Jakarta Police were on full alert, with about
17,000 of the force's 24,000 officers taking part in this year-
end special security operation that is scheduled to close on Jan.
10.
Governor Sutiyoso said officers from different agencies in
his administration, including the Jakarta Public Order Agency,
the Jakarta Fire Department and the Jakarta Transportation
Agency, would play a supporting role during the operation.
"Aside from prioritizing security measures at churches and
other places of worship, we will also beef up security at bus
terminals, airports and seaport, as well as places that are
frequented by holiday makers, including recreational centers,"
Sutiyoso said.
Fourteen religious and community organizations said last week
they were ready to help guard churches during the holiday. The
groups, including Nahdlatul Ulama's youth wing Ansor, the Mosque
Youth Group, the Betawi Association, the Betawi Brotherhood Forum
and the Pancasila Youth, said they could deploy 7,700 people to
help ensure a safe and peaceful Christmas.