REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR - Bali Police Department will raise security on Friday to its highest level, as it coincidences with 10th commemoration of 2002 Bali bombing. The step is taken by police officers to anticipate the possibility of any terror act. Apart from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, about 4,000 foreign visitors are due to attend the ceremonies.
The Chief of Bali Police Department, Budi Gunawan, said intelligence must be placed at all entry points in Bali. He emphasized that police officers were on high alert. Thus, he has asked all units to recognize every member of Bali police department.
Commemorations will be held in various parts of Bali including the Kuta Beach area where the nightclubs, packed with mostly young foreign tourists, were attacked. Gunawan said unauthorized people would not be allowed to enter the location. The commemoration will be held in Garuda Wisnu Kencana at Jimbaran, Bali.
The first Bali bombing was occurred at Sari Club Cafe and Paddys Pub, Legian, on October 12, 2002. The tragedy killed 202 people. Among the dead were 88 Australians and 38 others were Indonesian citizens. Other dead victims are from Australia, UK, Japan, US, and others.
Indonesia has been largely successful in containing militancy and there have been no big attacks on Western targets since 2009, when suicide bombers attacked two hotels in the capital, Jakarta, killing nine people and wounding 53.
"From the information that we have gathered, there are indications of movements aimed at VIPs who will attend the event," Deputy Chief of Bali Police Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said on Wednesday. "Therefore, the police and army forces, including the community, have made sure their readiness."
Yoga Ana said police had brought in reinforcements from Jakarta and the military was also helping with security. "There are 1,003 police officers in Bali and 118 personnel reinforcements from headquarters," he said. "This excludes security officers for VIPs from the TNI which will be as many as 1,000 personnel," he added, referring to the armed forces.
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