"The police are investigating the cases, so I want all people in Solo city to stay calm," governor said.
Semarang, C Java (ANTARA News) - Central Java Governor Bibit Waluyo has called on the residents of Solo to keep calm despite a series of terror attacks in the city over the past two weeks.

"The police are investigating the cases, so I want all people in Solo city to stay calm," he said here on Friday, adding that all the parties should cooperate in dealing with the problem.

"Maintaining a peaceful environment is crucial to ensure security in the city whose slogan is `Solo: the Spirit of Java," Bibit added.

The latest act of terrorism happened in Solo on Thursday evening (August 30), in which a police officer, identified as Brigadier Chief Dwi Data Subekti, was shot to death.

Dwi was on night guard duty at Singosaren Plaza police post on Thursday, when two unknown gunmen on a motorcycle started firing at the police post at approximately 9 pm local time.

A witness said he heard six gunshots, four aimed at the police post and two into the air, before the perpetrators rode away.

Central Java Police Chief Inspector General Didiek S. Triwidodo said Dwi was shot five times in his torso and hands.

Earlier, two police officers were injured when unknown assailants targeted a police post in Gemblegan, Solo, on August 17, Indonesia`s 67th independence anniversary.

The next day, on August 18, a grenade was thrown at another police post in Gladak, on the eve of Id-ul-Fitr, the end of the Ramadan month of fasting.

The incidents have caused serious concerns among the local people as the government declared the incidents were acts of terrorism.

The National Police and the National Counter-terrorism Agency (BNPT) stated that the attacks on the police posts in Solo were "aimed at promulgating terror".

"The police have identified several groups involved in the shooting and the grenade-throwing incidents," National Police Spokesperson Senior Commissioner Boy Rafli Amar said.

"Some group members are being interrogated, while others are on our radar. We have yet to identify details of the groups, such as whether they are locals or not," he added.

"We believe the attacks are acts of terrorism, although we need to further examine the motives," Boy explained. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012