Police brace for terrorist activity ahead of polls

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh/Palu/Jayapura

In the wake of bomb threats in several cities, the National Police are taking steps to prevent terror attacks ahead of and during the presidential election runoff on Monday.

"The terrorists most likely would like to target public facilities, certain embassies, government offices and police headquarters," National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Saturday.

A Catholic school in the Central Kalimantan capital of Palangkaraya was the latest to receive a bomb threat on Saturday. The school is located next to the provincial police headquarters.

Numerous bomb threats have been received around the country since the bombing outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on Sept. 9. Bomb squads have been kept busy combing schools, government offices and office buildings for explosives.

The police are deploying two-thirds of 200,000 total personnel to maintain order and provide security prior to and during the election, with about the same number of military troops supporting the police.

Da'i has ordered police in big cities, including Jakarta, to take extra vigilance in the wake of the bomb threats.

On election day, Da'i said at least one police officer and two civilian guards would be responsible for security at each polling station.

In conflict areas, military troops will assist in providing security, Da'i said.

In Aceh, at least 9,000 police officers and 15,000 soldiers have been deployed for the presidential election. They will be assisted by over 22,200 civilian guards in providing security for the polls.

Provincial police spokesman Sr. Comr. Sayed Husaini said the police and military personnel would be deployed at some 11,000 polling stations throughout the province, where the military has been fighting separatists.

Sayed said rebels had killed several people in Singkil, South Aceh, on Friday in an attempt to disrupt election preparations.

Some 300 observers from some non-governmental organizations will also monitor the election in Aceh. Security authorities in Central Sulawesi will deploy nearly 16,000 police and military personnel and civilian guards on election day.

Provincial police spokesman Sr. Comr. Victor D. Batara said some 4,500 police officers had been readied for the security operation. He apologized in advance for any inconvenience as voters were searched by the police before being allowed to enter the polling stations.

The area of Palu in Central Sulawesi has seen a series of killings that might be linked to the sectarian conflict that rocked the remote regency of Poso three years ago.

In Poso, some 5,100 police officers will provide security for the election. Poso Police chief Sr. Comr. Abdi Dharma Sitepu said the provincial and National Police headquarters had sent reinforcements to help local officers maintain security.

In Papua, some 1,500 military troops are waiting in reserve to ensure separatist rebels do not disrupt the election, military commander Maj. Gen. TNI Nurdin Zainal said.