Police up security during holiday period

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

To anticipate possible terror attacks ahead of and during Idul Fitri in the capital, Jakarta Police announced on Tuesday they have deployed more personnel in several embassy buildings, office buildings, malls, hotels, and recreation centers.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said that police would not lessen security in possible targets while securing the annual exodus of people who want to celebrate the holiday at their hometowns.

"We are still in full alert and ready two third of personnel, or 17,000 officers, to secure the city. With the coming of Idul Fitri, more personnel will guard embassy and office buildings as well as malls and recreation centers," he said.

The police had doubled personnel, detectives, and intelligence officers in the U.S embassy, British embassy, and the Australian embassy while more personnel were also deployed in hotels, malls and recreation centers, including Ancol in North Jakarta, and Taman Mini Indonesia Indah miniature park in East Jakarta.

"We will carefully screen each information on terror attacks because, for example, some will say the terrorists would target travelers but it could be just a ploy as they probably still eyeing the capital," Ketut asserted.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said on Monday that they would station the bomb squads at 18 locations where people who joined the exodus will be, such as the airport, bus terminals, sea ports and railway stations.

He said that Detachment 88, the police special antiterror squad, had given information that there was a high possibility of bomb attacks during the Idul Fitri celebration.

Idul Fitri, which this year falls on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4, ends the fasting month. Some 2.5 million Jakarta residents are expected to leave for their hometowns to celebrate the festivities there.

Jakarta Police announced immediately that they increased security measures around the capital after suicide bomb attacks destroyed two cafes and a restaurant in Jimbaran and Kuta last Saturday, killing 22 people and injuring more than 130, on Oct. 1.

Ketut said that they were still concentrating on places frequented by foreigners, and residential areas for foreigners.

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

To avoid robbery, Ketut called on residents who wanted to leave their house to report to security guard and nearby police station so that the officers could look after their vacant houses.