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