Police on red alert for MPR Annual Session

Police on red alert for MPR Annual Session

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two weeks prior to the People's Consultative Assembly's (MPR)
Annual Session, police are gearing up to secure the event by
imposing a state of red alert.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara said, after
meeting with MPR leaders on Thursday, that the state of red alert
meant that police would utilize their full force in securing the
session.

Jakarta Police have 20,895 personnel in total. Under red
alert, police personnel would not be permitted to take leave or
go out of the city.

"I have told them (the Assembly leaders) that we will tighten
security as we must be on alert against possible bomb threats
here," he said.

A total of 1,300 personnel will be deployed to safeguard the
15-hectare House of Representatives (DPR)/MPR compound and Hotel
Mulia Senayan in Central Jakarta, where the Assembly members will
stay during the session, Jakarta Police Security for Key
Facilities, chief Sr. Comr. Oegroseno said.

"However, special personnel will not guard Assembly members
individually," he added.

The military is expected to back up the police in maintaining
security during the session, which is scheduled to take place
between Aug. 1 and Aug. 10.

The Assembly's chairman, Amien Rais, said that all Assembly
members would be subject to security checks.

"For security reasons, please, don't feel offended. Even the
Assembly's chairman and the House speaker are subject to ordinary
security checks," he said.

Amien revealed that to secure the session, police would spend
Rp 1.1 billion (around US$134,146).

"The costs will be financed by the National Police
Headquarters' own budget. The funds are already available," he
said.

Also present at the meeting were National Police deputy chief,
Comr. Gen. Kadaryanto and Jakarta Military Commander, Maj. Gen.
Djoko Santoso.

During the Annual Session, several issues -- including the
revocation of several of the Assembly's decrees deemed to be
obsolete -- will be discussed.

"We have not received any threats so far. But, We have to
consider the bombing at the airport, the bombing near the United
Nations Office, and the last bomb attack at the House's compound,
as threats," said Makbul.

He referred to the bombs set off at Departure Terminal F of
the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and behind the UN
Representative Office in Central Jakarta and the bomb that
exploded on Monday morning at the DPR/MPR compound.

Police have yet to name suspects or suggest motives for the
three bombings.

The government increased security measures nationwide, from
Wednesday, by ordering police to tighten control over key areas
and by calling for the public to remain alert.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs,
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said that such measures were a result
of information from security authorities in Southeast Asia. The
information suggested that acts of terror were likely to continue
in the future and countries, including Indonesia, would be
targeted.

Jakarta Police said that they were still searching for
explosives allegedly transported by one of nine suspected members
of Jamaah Islamiyah.

Police lost the chance to find out where the explosives were
when key suspect, Ikhwanuddin (alias Asim), committed suicide
before police could further question him.

Ikhwanuddin was also believed to be responsible for the
transportation of explosives, from Semarang to Jakarta, twice
last month.

Police also called for alert as a result of suspected JI
leader -- (identified as a bomb expert), Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi
of Indonesia's -- escape from the Cramp Crame prison in the
Philippines. They warned that al-Ghozi was likely to return to
Indonesia.

Alleged JI spiritual leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is currently
being tried at the Central Jakarta District Court for treason and
immigration violations.

Police believe that the group is ready to launch attacks on
public places and churches and possibly assassinate public
figures as they reportedly found that, 23 out of 26 bombs
prepared by JI members, were ready to be activated.