Police up security during holiday period

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.