Indonesia to start anti-terror operation to secure Christma, New Year holidays
JAKARTA, (MILLAT ONLINE):Indonesian police will start an anti-terror operation in the country to ensure the safety of the coming Christmas and New Year holidays, Indonesian Police Chief Tito Karnavian said here on Tuesday.
The implementation of the police’s upcoming “Candle Operation” was intended to prevent possible terror attacks during the festivity and holiday season, Tito said.
“We don’t want to miss it again. That is why we need to take anticipating steps in advance,” Tito said in his office here, referring to church bombings in several cities across the country on the night of Dec. 24, 2000 that claimed 16 lives, injured 96 others.
Tito said so far police have yet to receive signals of any possible attack in the upcoming Christianity festivity.
The exact number of personnel to be deployed in the Candle Operation would be announced after the operation planning process concluded this weekend, he added.
On the same occasion, Indonesian Police Headquarters Spokesperson Setyo Wasisto said that police’s anti-terror squad of Densus 88 had arrest 19 terrorist suspects in various cities within three days from Dec. 9 to 11.
The suspects were arrested in East Java, Riau and South Sumatra provinces, he said.