Indonesia boosts security at airport, train stations prior to New Year Eve
Xinhua, December 27, 2016 Adjust font size:
Indonesian police has stepped up security at airports, seaports and train stations ahead of New Year Eve, following a series of raids and arrest of suspected militants in the country, police said Tuesday.
During the raid in several hideouts of the suspected terrorists in two main islands of java and Sumatra in recent weeks, the police anti-terror squad seized documents and evidence, revealing that the New Year Eve and Christmas as major target of the militants.
"For the security of New Year Eve, we have dispatched personnel at vital objects, the places where mass gather, and tourism destination," National Police Spokesman Senior Commissioner Martinus Sitompul said at the police headquarters.
The police would continuously monitor the situation at the fields prior to the new year night, Sitompul said.
Indonesia has deployed 150,000 police personnel and soldiers to secure Christmas and the New Year Eve, focusing on securing churches and other Christian religious activities, and other vital objects, according to National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian.
Police have foiled several suicide bombing plots to be undertaken during Christmas.
Security authority is monitoring dozens of militants backed home from joining IS activity in Mosul of Iraq after the leader of the global terrorist group ordered their followers to launch terrorist strikes in their own countries. Enditem