Security beefed up after bomb discovery

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bandung

Police are increasing security at public places ahead of Christmas and the New Year following the discovery of nine bombs in a city bus in Bandung on Friday.

The bombs were discovered early on Friday inside a Mekar Raya bus traveling between the town of Garut and the Cicaheum terminal in Bandung. The bus, bearing license plate number Z 7655 DA, was intercepted by the police in Cibiru subdistrict, just 10 kilometers from the terminal.

Three police officers from West Java's special antiterrorism division searched the bus and found a cardboard box under a seat near the back exit of the bus, which was carrying 20 passengers.

According to a source with the West Java Police, the box contained nine cylinders filled with explosives. One of the cylinders was already wired to a detonator.

The driver, his assistant and 15 men who were traveling on the bus were taken to the provincial police headquarters in Bandung for questioning. The questioning was still underway on Friday evening.

National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko said the police received a tip from a passenger who said he saw a suspicious box on the bus.

"We are still investigating the case and we are still in the process of questioning the bus passengers," Soenarko said.

West Java Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Ahmad Abdi said the police followed the bus from the time it departed the Cileunyi bus station, where the tip was called in.

Bus driver Udin Syaefudin said he was unaware of the box and did not know if it was put on the bus at the Garut Guntur station, which the bus departed at 5:30 a.m.

Yugat, a passenger who was sitting near where the box was found, said he saw a thin man with dark skin wearing a checkered shirt and black trousers carry the box onto the bus and put it beneath his seat, but by the time the bus was stopped by the police the man had already gotten off the bus.

Police have been focusing their hunt for Malaysian bomb experts Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Moh. Top on West Java. The two fugitives have been blamed for bombings in Bali in 2002, at JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in August 2003 and at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta last September.

However, Abdi said the police had not confirmed whether the bombs were the work of Azahari and Noordin.

The U.S., Australia and New Zealand issued warnings earlier this week of possible attacks on foreign interests in Indonesia, including hotels.

Following the discovery of the bombs, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar ordered security stepped up at churches and public places such as malls, department stores, hotels and recreational spots.

Da'i said two-thirds of the police's 240,000 officers would be on duty to prevent any security threats during the holidays.

"We will increase surveillance as well as security around these places, and pay attention to information about certain people who may create disturbances," he said after attending a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office.

He said the police had learned from four detained suspects in the Australian Embassy bombing that terrorists planned to launch more attacks during the holiday season.