Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) has intensified coordination with related agencies to anticipate terrorism threats ahead of Prabowo Subianto's presidential inauguration in October 2024 and simultaneous regional elections in November.

To this end, BNPT held a coordination meeting in Bandung, West Java, on Thursday (June 27, 2024), according to a press statement from the agency, which was received by ANTARA here on Friday.

Head of the BNPT's Enforcement Division, Colonel Indrayanto, said that the meeting aimed to help BNPT and its counterterrorism partners strengthen coordination related to early detection and deterrence.

Coordinated prevention of acts of terrorism needs to be prioritized as it is indispensable for the maintenance of capability for handling tensions and keeping the situation conducive in the community ahead of the regional elections, he added.

The regional elections, which will be held simultaneously all over the country in November this year, could potentially trigger tensions, conflicts, and even acts of terror, he said.

The inauguration of president-elect Prabowo Subianto and vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka is scheduled to take place on October 20.

Meanwhile, the General Elections Commission (KPU) has announced that the regional elections will take place simultaneously all over the country on November 27.

As reported earlier, Indonesia has been a target of terrorist attacks since 2000, and the spread of radicalism and terrorism continues to threaten the country.

In May 2018, for instance, a church in the East Java city of Surabaya was attacked by terrorists, while on January 14, 2016, ISIS supporters in Indonesia carried out a suicide bombing and shooting attack in Jakarta, which resulted in the deaths of eight people, including three civilians.

The incident added to the list of deadly assaults conducted by terrorist cells in Indonesia.

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Translator: Agatha OV, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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