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| Southeast Asia |
| Indonesia: Security increased amid fears of religious attacks |
| 2008-12-25 |
| (AKI/Jakarta Post) - Security will be strengthened throughout Indonesia throughout the Christmas holiday season amid concerns about violent attacks that may be motivated by religion. About 3,000 police officers will be deployed for Christmas and New Year's Day in West Java along the province's north coast highway and police will step up security at churches, as well as entertainment venues and public facilities. "We will deploy intelligence and bomb disposal units," said Cirebon Police chief Sr. Comr. Nasser Amir. The move follows a massive terrorism exercise in Indonesia on Sunday. Security forces stormed airports, luxury hotels, and the Jakarta Stock Exchange building in the anti-terrorism drill in the world's most populous Muslim nation. About 7000 police, soldiers and emergency-response workers took part in the exercise in six major cities, including the capital, Jakarta, and on the popular resort island of Bali. Indonesia has been hard hit by a string of deadly suicide bomb attacks since the September 11 attacks in the US. The Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah was blamed for killed more than 200 people in the Bali Bomb attacks - Indonesia's worst terror attack - in October 2002. Jemaah Islamiyah is also suspected of carrying out the 2003 JW Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta, the Australian embassy bombing in 2004, and the 2005 Bali terrorist bombing. In Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, the provincial and nine regency police forces will deploy at least 1,500 personnel to safeguard Christmas and New Year celebrations. Police held a troop inspection to mark the launch of a security operation, code-named Lilin Rinjani Tambora (Rintam), at the West Nusa Tenggara Police field Tuesday, led by provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Surya Iskandar. Several commands were set up in areas at high risk of crime 10 days before the holidays. In Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, the provincial police will deploy around 1,400 personnel to safeguard Christmas and New Year celebrations. "We will also heighten security at tourist sites, shopping areas, sea and airports and critical national assets," East Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. Andi Masmiyat told The Jakarta Post in Balikpapan. |
| Posted by:Fred |