Security beefed up after bomb discovery

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.