Snipers to guard Bali bomb trials

Snipers to guard Bali bomb trials

DENPASAR: Snipers and police dogs will be deployed to guard the trials of the Bali bombing suspects, which are expected to start next month, police said Thursday.

"We will position snipers around the court ... we will also use police dogs, especially around large crowds," said Bali police spokesman Yatim Suyatmo.

Thirty suspects are in police custody.

The first trial, to be held at a building next to the prosecutor's office in Denpasar, will be relayed by closed- circuit television to an adjacent building to allow more people to follow the hearing, he said.

Suyatmo has said a total of 3,000 personnel will be deployed to guard the trials. The Bali bombs, blamed on regional terror group Jamaah Islamiyah, killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.

Some 38 Indonesians were also killed in the blasts, which also dealt a severe blow to Bali's tourism-based economy.

Suyatmo said a joint security exercise, also to include helicopters, would be held from April 7 to prepare the security plan. -- AFP