OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT on EVENTS in APRIL 2013 Edited by Colin Good
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OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN APRIL 2013 Edited by Colin Good OSAC Jakarta Country Council/AmCham Indonesia Security Committee: Chair: Brian W. Millen Vice-Chairs: Antony Marley Colin Good U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer: James Schnaible Summary of Security-Related Issues throughout Indonesia The following selected information was compiled from local media sources and submissions from iPJ in particular as well as contributions from Hill & Associates and Concord Consulting. We are deeply grateful to the contributors. This report contains information on a broad spectrum of security concerns and incidents which have occurred in Indonesia during the reporting period. Incidents are listed as they happened and dates are added if reported, otherwise the reader is to assume the event took place during the month in question. Readers are advised that while there are security risks that companies and individuals need to be aware of, avoid or address, Indonesia is a country of over 230 million people living on 17,500 islands that stretch over 4,800 kms. The vast majority of foreign companies that operate in Indonesia, and expatriates who reside in or visit the country, do so without incident providing sensible security precautions are taken. OVERVIEW The National Police Counter Terrorist Squad, Densus88 was extremely active during the month of May with the arrest of 15 terrorists in Jakarta and West and Central Java. During the month they also shot dead 5 terrorists who resisted arrest. These figures serve to illustrate that the demise of the terror group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) did not bring about a cessation of terrorist activities which continue with little abatement. During these incidents the police seized several pipe bombs ready for use and quantities of explosive materials and other bomb making ingredients together with an assortment of firearms. In a worrying development the police revealed that the terrorist group ar- rested in Jakarta that was plotting to bomb the Embassy of Myanmar was planning to use a so- phisticated chemical explosive substance “hexamine” which is not only highly explosive but can also be used as a chemical weapon to poison victims. This is another indicator that Indonesian terrorists are becoming increasingly sophisticated and therefore even more dangerous and there is clearly a need to continue to make appropriate contingency plans. Terror related attacks against the police continued during the month with bombing incidents at police stations in East and West Java. Page 1 of 25 OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN APRIL 2013 Edited by Colin Good ANALYSIS OF DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITY The month of May saw the highest number of demonstrations for more than a year with 223 demonstrations involving close to 140,000 demonstrators taking place in the country. As has been the trend of late labor issues dominated the scene with 60 percent of all demonstrations being re- lated to labor issues. Complaints over minimum wage maters and outsourcing of labor and con- tract workers issues were to the fore. Many of the demonstrations occurred on 1 May which is traditionally recognized as Labor Day or worker’s day when workers across many industries take to the streets to air their grievances. Apart from labor unrest religious issues continued to be the core of other demonstrations with Ahmadiyah followers being the main target. Ahmadiyah mosques in West and East Java were attacked by hundreds of demonstrators who damaged mosques and houses belonging to members of the Ahmadiyah community at those locations. In- ter village clashes continued during the month particularly in the East of the country with serious clashes leading to deaths in some cases. There were fewer student demonstrations during the Page 2 of 25 OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN APRIL 2013 Edited by Colin Good month but one demonstration in Medan turned violent when the students attacked and damaged a police station before burning tires on main roads causing their closure. Local residents who be- came angry with the disruption turned on the students throwing stones at them. Labor issues are likely to continue to dominate during the month of June and local inter village is- sues are likely to flare up from time to time with some becoming violent. TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME INCIDENTS Molotov Bomb Attacks in Blitar Investigated On Wednesday (May 1) at around 2345hrs unknown subject(s) threw Molotov Bombs at the Police Unit Pamong Praja in Blitar, East Java. Police secured evidence at the scene. Alleged Terrorist Arrests in Jakarta On Thursday (May 2) at around 2200hrs Detachment 88 arrested at least two persons suspected in connection with terrorist activities in raids in the area of Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta, and in a boarding house in Jalan Bangka II, Mampang, South Jakarta. From the raids police seized some explosives and five pipe bombs which were ready for use. The target for the bombs was suspected to be addressed to be the Embassy of Myanmar. Terrorists Ambush in Bandung Regency On Wednesday (May 8) Police and Detachment 88 ambushed four suspected terrorists in a rented house in Batu Rengat, Cigondewah Hilir, Marga Asih, Bandung regency, West Java. Shootout be- tween the police and suspected terrorists occurred. Terrorist Raids in West Java, Central Java and Tangerang On Wednesday (May 8) police raided suspected terrorist locations in Bandung regency, West Ja- va, in Central Java, and in South Tangerang. In Batu Rengat, Cigondewah Hilir, Marga Asih, Bandung regency, three suspected terrorists were killed and one person was arrested after a shootout with police which lasted more than seven hours beginning at around 1100hrs. Police seized ready to use pipe bombs, three firearms, one magazine, and hundreds of bullets and other items. At around 1500hrs police shot dead a suspected terrorist while resisting arrest and arrested a se- cond in Limpung village, Batang, Central Java. Police seized an FN pistol and bullets. At around 1830hrs police arrested a suspected terrorist in the village of Tambaksari, Rowosari Dis- trict, Kendal regency, Central Java. At around 1700hrs police raided a location in the hamlet of Kembaran, Unggaran village, Kutowinangun district, Kebumen regency, Central Java. As of May 9 the police reportedly had ar- rested three suspected terrorists, shot dead three other suspects, and are trying to arrest one re- maining suspect who fled the scene. At around 1700hrs police arrested a suspected terrorist in Pondok Aren, South Tangerang. Police also raided a house in Jalan Aria Putra, Serua Indah, Ciputat, South Tangerang, at around 2000hrs. Police arrested a man and seized cash. Four Suspected Terrorists Arrested in South Lampung On Thursday (May 9) at around 2100hrs and Friday (May 10) at around 0530hrs and 0900hrs De- tachment 88 and Lampung Police arrested four suspected terrorists in several different locations in South Lampung, Sumatra. The subjects were also allegedly involved in the robbery of a bank in Page 3 of 25 OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL JAKARTA COUNTRY COUNCIL AMCHAM SECURITY COMMITTEE, REPORT ON EVENTS IN APRIL 2013 Edited by Colin Good Pringsewu, Lampung, on April 22 and banks in Batang and Grobokan, with total loses amounting to Rp 1.8 billion. Homemade Bomb in Tasikmalaya On Monday (May 13) at around 1920hrs someone threw a bomb into the police station at the Mitra Batik crossroad, Tasikmalaya, West Java, but the bomb failed to explode. The perpetrator was killed after being shot by police as he tried to fight back and shot at police with a homemade fire- arm. The Bomb Squad Team of West Java Police seized and investigated the suspected home- made bomb. Four Alleged Terrorists Arrested in Central Java On Tuesday (May 14) Detachment 88 arrested two suspected terrorists in Purwokerto, Central Java, and two more in Solo, Central Java. The two people who were arrested in Purwokerto are suspected of training others to make nitroglycerine-based bombs. Molotov Thrown at a School in Yogyakarta On Tuesday (May 14) at around 2000hrs and 2115hrs a group of youths riding nine motorcycles threw Molotov cocktails at the SMK 3 Jetis Yogyakarta. A security guard and a police officer were injured. Police are still investigating the CCTV footage of the school to identify the subjects. Terrorists Arrested in Solo On Thursday morning (May 16) two terrorists were arrested by Detachment 88 in a rented house at Kampung Losari RT 5 RW 3 Semanggi District, Pasar Kliwon, Solo. This arrest was related to the arrest of a resident two days before in Joyosuran, Pasar Kliwon, Solo. The officers found 25 kilograms of Potassium Chlorate and sharp weapons. Suspected Bombs in Central Sulawesi On Saturday night (May 18) a scavenger found objects suspected to be a bomb inside a cardboard box at Jalan RE Martadinata, East Palu District, Central Sulawesi, not far from the headquarters of the police sector of East Palu. The box contained a bottle of mineral water containing white powder and bolts, cable sets and 2 batteries of 9 volts. A bomb Disposal Team detonated the object on Sunday early morning (May 19). Police Arrest Two Terrorist Suspects On Wednesday (May 22) at around 2030hrs anti-terror police arrested two terrorist suspects. One was a terrorist suspect fugitive who was arrested at the port of Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. He allegedly planned to blow up the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta. Police arrested another suspect on Thursday (May 23) at around 0240hrs in a house on Jalan Ir Sutami Mauk Timur, Tangerang. Police confiscated fertilizers, sulfur, black powder, wires, powders lighters, iron pipe and other items. Suspected Bombs in Attorney General's Office, South Jakarta On Friday (May 24) at around 1330hrs a cleaner found suspicious objects suspected to be a bomb inside a black bag in front of Attorney General's Office’s gate on Jalan Sultan Hasanuddin, South Jakarta.