Scores rush Bank Central Asia

BOGOR (JP): Scores of people spent hours queuing for cash at a Bank Central Asia (BCA) automatic teller machine on Jl. Juanda because of fears that an attack on the bank's branch office in the mayoralty was imminent.

They said rumors of a mob attack on BCA and other banks in the town abounded following the looting and destruction of many BCA offices in Jakarta.

The BCA branch office in question was closed yesterday, apparently due to fears of attack. Customers flocked to the machine and waited hours for their turn.

A smaller crowd was seen at a Bank Bali automatic teller machine elsewhere in Bogor.

Bogor was tense yesterday following riots and looting of shops and residential areas on Thursday.

"We couldn't sleep last night because of the tension," Maswadi, a resident, said. "The situation reminds me of (events leading to the downfall of president Sukarno in) 1965." (24)