Police tighten security for expats, foreign interests

Sat, 08 Oct 2005, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Jakarta Police have deployed more police personnel, detectives
and intelligence officers in residential areas where foreigners
live and foreign interests across the city in the wake of the
second Bali bombing on Oct. 2.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said on Friday that
based on their analysis, terrorist groups would always target
foreign interests, including foreign embassies, places frequented
by foreigners and residential areas.

"We have increased our surveillance in residential areas where
many foreigners live by doubling our intelligence personnel and
detectives. We have conducted random checks on cars, houses and
buildings in those areas," he said.

Firman said that although they had received no information
about terror attacks on certain places, the police would continue
to be on full alert.

He added that city police had not arrested any suspects in the
Bali bombing.

Immediately after three suicide bomb attacks destroyed two
cafes and a restaurant in Jimbaran and Kuta last Saturday, which
killed 22 people and injured more than 130, Jakarta Police
announced that they had increased security measures around the
capital.

Firman said that he had declared the city on full alert since
Saturday and had readied two-thirds of its 26,000 police officers
to secure the capital against a possible terrorist attack.

The National Police declared Indonesia on full alert last
Sunday.

Firman said that police had monitored roads in and out of the
capital and doubled security personnel at foreign embassies,
malls, hotels and other places frequented by foreigners.

He also ordered his officers to cooperate with neighborhood
and community unit heads to scrutinize newcomers to Jakarta.

Meanwhile, several police sub-precincts in the capital have
begun conducting random checks on cars and buildings in the past
two days.

A group of police officers from Menteng Police sub-precincts
were seen checking cars passing Jl. Jaksa in Central Jakarta on
Thursday afternoon.

"We are giving special attention to Jl. Jaksa and its
surrounding areas because many foreigners live here. We have been
ordered to stay on alert since the Bali bombings," Menteng
subprecinct chief Comr. Yakub DK told The Jakarta Post.

Several expatriates who had to stop their cars for the checks
seemed to be understanding.

Yakub said that his officers would go door to door to make
sure that the area was secure.

Pasar Minggu Police precinct in South Jakarta has also begun
conducting random checks on rented houses and rooms around
university buildings on Wednesday evening.

"Several police came knocking at my door at 11 p.m. on
Wednesday and asked for my identity card. They just looked around
my room and then left," Rima, a resident who lives near the
National University in Pejaten Barat, South Jakarta, told the
Post on Friday.