Time bomb defused ahead of congress

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)