Jakarta Globe, Ezra Sihite, December 13, 2013
Shoppers watch a performer dressed as one of Santa elves at Grand Indonesia Shopping Town in Jakarta on Dec. 12, 2013. (EPA Photo/Bagus Indahono) |
President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has warned of the possibility of terrorist attacks
during the Christmas season that could be compounded by political tensions
ahead of next year’s elections, saying he has ordered security forces to be on
high alert in the coming weeks.
The president
said at a conference in Jakarta on Thursday that he had received a report from
Gen. Sutarman, the National Police chief, of “entities who have designed plans
to disrupt security and order in certain places.”
“I have
instructed to the vice president and related ministries to ensure that the
security forces do their best to protect the series of Christmas and New Year’s
celebrations,” he said.
All
Indonesians, he emphasized, had a responsibility to ensure that their fellow
citizens were able to celebrate their respective holy days in peace and safety.
Yudhoyono
also warned that with legislative elections coming up in April and the rivalry
between parties and candidates becoming more vicious, terrorist could try to
mask their attacks as being politically motivated.
“This is a
political year, and we are starting to see how heated the political situation
in our country is becoming,” he said.
“It’s
normal for the political atmosphere to warm up ahead of an election, but what’s
important is that I’m calling on the political party elites and politicians to
practice self-restraint.
“[Terrorists]
may try to make it seem as though the attacks are related to the elections,
when in fact that’s not the case,” the president said.
Sutarman
said separately that police had increased their monitoring of potential
terrorist activity “linked to any threats on places of worship.”
“We are
also calling on the public to remain calm because the National Police will
protect those who are celebrating Christmas as well as New Year’s Eve,” he said
as quoted by Okezone.com.
Sutarman
said some suspected terrorists under the police’s watch were known to be moving
around from one location to another, indicating possible activity leading up to
an attack.
“They may
be making explosives. We have detected and monitored this,” he said, adding
that police had made an undisclosed number of arrests.
Djoko
Suyanto, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs,
confirmed that police had carried out several arrests in recent days, but did
not elaborate. He said on Thursday that security measures this year would be
similar to those in previous years.
On Christmas
Eve in 2000, a series of coordinated bombings by Islamist terrorists at several
churches nationwide left 16 people dead and dozens injured.
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