Routine bomb sweep at AG office

JAKARTA (JP): Following a series of bomb blasts and threats in the capital recently, the Attorney General's Office initiated on Tuesday a routine bomb sweep within the office compound, an official said.

"I admit that state offices are easy targets for bomb threats and terrorism. But that doesn't mean that the sweep is being carried out in response to a threat," Acting Deputy Attorney General for career development affairs Soeparman Ahmad told The Jakarta Post at his office.

He said he had yet to decide how frequently his office would hold a sweeping operation.

"It will likely be held monthly," he said.

As of Tuesday evening, a police bomb squad and the office's security guards were still checking the compound, which is located at the intersection of Jl. Sisingamangaraja in South Jakarta.

A strong explosive device severely damaged a lavatory on the ground floor of the office building of the Deputy Attorney General for special crimes on July 4, an hour after former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra left. He had appeared for questioning as a witness in his father's alleged graft case.

Another bomb, which did not explode, was found in a lavatory on the second floor of the same building. The bomb bore a military code.

Separately, Deputy Attorney General for intelligence affairs Lt. Gen. (ret) Yusuf Kartanegara told the Post that his office had delegated the investigation of the bombing incident to the police. (bby)