Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta Metropolitan Police chief Inspector General Sutarman said police would retaliate if they were attacked by terrorist groups.

"We have been increasing our alertness and if police stations are attacked we are ready to retaliate, including with a sweep," he said at the National Police Headquarters here on Tuesday.

Regarding the circulation of short text messages about bomb attacks that may happen at the time of cleric Abu Bakar Ba`asyir`s sentencing at the South Jakarta District Court on June 16, Sutarman said that "I have forwarded a message to all members to take preventive measures individually."

All police sectors and officers have been called to increase alertness, he said.

He said right now the police`s anti-terror unit Densus 88 and a special police force from the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command are still searching the person who had shot a police officer to death in Bekasi recently.

The team moved immediately after the incident occurred at around 3am on June 1 in Jatirangon, Pondok Gede, Bekasi.

The Jakarta Metropolitan Police meanwhile have decided to increase the number of personnel during the court session on the terrorism case of Abu Bakar Ba`asyir on Thursday to assure security.

"Initially we will field only around 2,000 but we will increase it to more than 3,000 now," Jakarta Metropolitan Police`s head of public relations division, Senior Commissioner Baharudin Djafar said here on Tuesday.

He said police would sterilize the South Jakarta District Court compound by checking all visitors.

He said the police would also be helped by the military and had also prepared snipers to anticipate anarchy.

Police meanwhile have also gathered food vendors operating in the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters compound to anticipate possible food poisoning following the circulation of information about attacks on police through food poisoning.

"We have gathered them and gave them directives regarding the need to be alert over the information," the Jakarta Metropolitan Police head of operations Senior Commissioner Sujarno said here on Tuesday.

He said he had also asked the canteen operator to prohibit unknown persons to enter into his kitchen.

National police chief General Timur Pradopo confirmed there had been information that terrorists planned to attack police through food poisoning.

The information came following the arrest of six alleged terrorists by Densus 88 in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on Saturday. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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