Police tighten security for expats, foreign interests
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.
Related stories on Pages 2,3,5