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| Southeast Asia |
| Indonesia: Army may take lead in terrorism fight |
| 2008-12-24 |
| (AKI/The Jakarta Post) - The Indonesian government is considering whether to authorise the Indonesian Military (TNI) to take over the command from police in the nation's fight against terrorism. Several approaches are being considered for building cooperation between the military and the National Police in dealing with terrorism threats, TNI commander Gen. Djoko Santoso said at the closing ceremony for a three-day joint counterterrorism exercise in Jakarta. He said on Monday that the first option was for the police to maintain its position as sole commander for counterterrorism, and the second was for the military to assist the police in this mission, he said. The third option is for the TNI to take over the lead in counterterrorism with police assistance, because some situations, such as hostage-takings, are outside police capabilities. The last option is for the TNI alone to handle the counterterrorism command, as it does for VVIP security for the president and vice president, Djoko added. At the same event, chief security minister Widodo Adi Sutjipto said the government would soon draw up standard operating procedures for the TNI and police in their joint fight against terrorism. "The formulation of these standard operating procedures will be discussed between the National Police and the Indonesian Military. Let them draw up the concept," he said at the closing ceremony for the drills held at the Halim Perdanakusuma air force base in East Jakarta. Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said the coordination between police and the TNI in dealing with terrorism threats did not warrant a special government regulation. "I think the fact that the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs is overseeing their efforts is enough," he said. Juwono said military involvement in counterterrorism efforts was crucial, considering the threats posed by some heavily armed organizations. "Law enforcement will continue to be conducted by police, and the TNI will assist them in line with its role in a military capacity," the defense minister said. "Ideally, there should be specific rules on the involvement of the TNI and police in such matters." From Friday through Sunday, military and police forces staged massive exercises to prepare for terrorist attacks in six areas across the country -- Jakarta, Denpasar, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and the Strait of Malacca. The joint drills involved simulated clashes with gunmen, attacks, hostage-takings and rescues. The anti-terrorism exercises, involving some 7,000 personnel, came on the eve of Christmas, when churches become the rare target of assaults, and New Year celebrations. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recently ordered the TNI and police to conduct anti-terrorism drills to demonstrate preparedness in the wake of last month's deadly attacks on Mumbai in India, which killed 172 people. Indonesia was hit by a string of deadly suicide bombings targeting Westerners following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. However, many experts say the risk of more large-scale attacks has diminished with the arrest of hundreds of Muslim militants as suspects. |
| Posted by:Fred |