West Java Police step up security at strategic areas
West Java Police step up security at strategic areas
Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Bandung
The police in West Java say they have enhanced security in all
strategic areas in the province following the finding of an
explosive device in one crowded shopping center in Bandung, the
provincial capital, and a bomb blast in another on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Plaza Indonesia Department Store, where the
explosive device was found on Thursday, was hit by a bomb blast
on Friday, causing shoppers to flee the store in terror.
An antiterrorist unit from the Bandung Police was in the
process of searching for the bomb after an unidentified person
phoned a warning to the department store's staff that there was
another bomb in the building (after the device found on
Thursday).
Two people suffered light injuries when the homemade bomb,
which was similar to a large firecracker, exploded in the
basement of the Bandung Super Mal on Jl. Gatot Subroto on
Thursday. The injured victims were then rushed to a nearby
hospital.
Brig. Gen. Deddy S. Komaruddin, deputy chief of the West Java
Provincial Police, said all police stations had been instructed
to deploy more personnel to enhance security in public places,
including shopping centers, hotels, offices, schools and
transportation terminals.
"We have launched an operation in strategic places and on the
streets to crack down on the terrorists who are trying to cause
chaos in the city. All people and cars coming into the city must
be checked. The operation is also underway in other towns, like
Cirebon, Banjar and Ciamis," he said.
He explained that the operation was launched in anticipation
of possible terrorist attacks following the Oct. 12 Bali tragedy
that killed almost 200 people. "Besides, Bandung is quite
susceptible to terrorist attacks because of its heterogeneous
population and the presence of many foreigners in the city," he
said.
West Bandung Police Precinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Zainul
Arifin said a score of police and Mobile Brigade personnel had
been deployed to search the Istana Plaza shopping center.
"But we didn't find any explosive devices," he said.
The Provincial Police have also established a 120-member
counterterrorist unit in anticipation of further terrorist
attacks in the province.
Sr. Comr. Hisar Nainggolan, inspector of the provincial
police, said all members of the counterterrorist unit had
received training on how to handle terrorist attacks and were
skilled in the early detection of terrorist activities.
"The training course has been underway since Oct. 21 at the
Mobile Brigade headquarters in the city, and is still ongoing,"
he said, adding that the counterterrorist unit would also have
intelligence officers to assist it.