Police on high alert ahead of Independence Day
Police on high alert ahead of Independence Day
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
The National Police are beefing up security in major cities
across the country to prevent possible terror attacks during the
Independence Day celebrations on Aug. 17.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said he had ordered
the deployment of reinforcement officers to secure public places
during the celebrations.
"We have to anticipate attacks, although we cannot
specifically identify where and when terror strikes might take
place," he said after attending a ceremony at the State Palace on
Thursday.
"What's clear is we have already anticipated that but we
aren't talking about a specific date or place," Da'i said, in
response to an unusually specific warning from Australian Foreign
Minister Alexander Downer.
Indonesia has been in high alert since the JW Marriott Hotel
bombing in Jakarta last week, which killed 12 people and injured
around 150 others.
Da'i did not say how many police officers would be deployed
ahead of the celebrations, but M16-carrying officers are easy to
spot around the capital.
The armed officers have been providing support to security
guards at hotels, shopping malls and other public places since
last weekend.
At the State Palace, where the main Independence Day
celebration will take place on Sunday, soldiers have tightened
security measures. All vehicles, including cars carrying Cabinet
ministers, are thoroughly checked before being allowed to enter
the palace.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer warned on
Thursday of the possibility of terrorist attacks in Jakarta
during the Independence Day celebrations.
"I am very concerned specifically about Jakarta. The 17th is
Indonesia's national day so it's a day where this sort of thing
could happen," Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.
Downer said Australian intelligence indicated more attacks
were being planned in Indonesia, and that a strike could occur
this Sunday.
The Australian foreign ministry said that it continued "to
receive reports that further attacks are being planned against
so-called soft targets, including international hotels, shopping
centers or identifiably Western businesses".
Warnings from foreign governments such as Australia, New
Zealand and the United States regarding possible further attacks
were issued following the Marriott bombing.
Australia this week issued its strongest travel warning yet
about Indonesia, urging its citizens to avoid all unnecessary
trips and to avoid international hotels in Jakarta.
The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta advised its nationals on Wednesday
"to take special precautions regarding their personal security
and avoid large gatherings" on the weekend.
Da'i has also warned of further possible attacks following a
crackdown against the Jamaah Islamiyah terrorist network, which
the police have blamed for last year's Bali bombings and the
Marriott attack.
He said the recent death sentence given to one of the
perpetrators of the Bali bombings and the ongoing trial of other
suspects could trigger retaliatory attacks.
Meanwhile, weeping relatives of those killed expressed a
mixture of bewilderment and bitterness at a press conference.
"Whoever did it are Muslim people who have no idea about the
real conditions of their own people and they have no humanity at
all," said Neris, 23, whose taxi driver uncle Syamsuddin was
killed.
"It is the Muslim people who are now suffering because of the
bombing," she said as quoted by AFP.
"May he be tortured so he can feel the pain of the burning
wounds my husband suffered," said Muzainah, 42, who has four
children. Her husband was a hotel security guard.
"Hopefully the bomber will get the heaviest punishment,"
Muzainah said. "He should not be shot because it would be too
easy and less painful. He has to suffer first."