Time bomb defused ahead of congress
SURABAYA, East Java (JP): Police on Friday managed to defuse a time bomb planted near the city's main sports arena, where a congress is scheduled to be held on Sunday to support President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Sutanto said the 500-gram explosive device containing trinitrotoluene (TNT) was found at a ditch near the south gate of the Gelora Pancasila Stadium by one of the stadium's security guards, Suhardjo.
"As soon as he found the bomb, he contacted the bomb squad, who then worked for some 15 minutes to defuse the explosive," Sutanto told reporters.
The bomb, set to explode at 11:30 a.m., was wrapped in a piece of paper, adhesive tape and put inside a black plastic bag. A timer was also found next to the bag.
"The set time was around the time people would have gone to perform Friday prayers. Alhamdulillah (Thank God), the explosive was found and defused before it exploded. Our officers even managed to dismember the cables, detonator, the explosive material and the fuse," Sutanto said.
The two-star general, however, refused to speculate on the possible perpetrators of the crime, saying, "We need only to thank God that it did not explode. That's all."
When asked to comment on the possible connection between the bomb and the planned East Java People's Congress on Sunday, Sutanto only said that he had not received any notification from the event's organizers.
Sutanto announced that he had asked organizers to think twice before continuing with the planned gathering in a bid to maintain peace and stability in the province.
On Sunday, some 10,000 people, claiming to be supporters of President Abdurrahman, are scheduled to assemble at the stadium to state their rejection to the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
The congress is jointly organized by National Democratic Party, Democratic Youth, the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) and Love The Nation Democratic Party (PDKB).
Antara quoted chairman of the event organizer Achmad Bachtiar Balukh who denied that the bomb finding was related to his event as saying, "It is a ploy by certain groups to create controversy. I don't think it is true to say that the bomb was meant to instill terror in all those wishing to attend the people's congress."
Separately, East Java Governor Imam Utomo speculated that the explosives were planted by certain parties to disrupt the security situation in his province.
Imam admitted that he had not received reports from his subordinates but said he would contact East Java Police chief (Brig. Gen. Sutanto) for details.
"I don't know who might have done this (plant the bomb) but they must be those who want to disrupt East Java," Imam told reporters before departing for shooting exercises with other executives at the provincial administration. (nur/emf)