The main objective of the raids would be to identify and arrest the perpetrators of the series of mysterious shooting attacks on police officers over the past weeks.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The National Police will soon crack down on illegal possession of firearms, following the recent shooting attacks on police personnel and other targets, seen by security agencies as attempts to spread terror.

"While conducting raids, our focus will be fire arms," National Police Deputy Chief Com. Gen Oegroseno said on Tuesday.

He said the main objective of the raids would be to identify and arrest the perpetrators of the series of mysterious shooting attacks on police officers over the past weeks.

The police will crack down on illegal arms possession as part of efforts to prevent shooting incidents involving unidentified gunmen from happening in the future.

The latest in the series of such attacks was the one on a police officer`s residence in Banjar Wijaya, a housing complex in Tangerang, Banten province, by an unidentified person on Tuesday morning.

Many similar shooting incidents involving attacks on police personnel have occurred in the recent past. A week ago, on August 7, an unidentified gunman shot dead First Adjunct Inspector Dwiatno, from the Cilandak sub-precinct police station in Ciputat, South Tangerang municipality, Banten province.

The police officer, posted at the Community Development Unit of the Cilandak sub-precinct police station in South Jakarta, was shot at 5 in the morning, said Police Commissioner Sungkono, chief of the Cilandak sub-precinct police station, later in the day.

On the same day, an unidentified person shot down a worker at Wirogunan prison in Yogyakarta.

Earlier, on July 27, two motorcyclists shot at Second Adjunct Inspector Saktiyono, from the Traffic Unit at Central Jakarta Police, at 4.30 in the morning, on Cirendeu Road in Ciputat.

Apart from police officers, such assailants have also targeted public places to spread terror among people.

As early as August 8 this year, some unidentified gunmen aboard a minibus opened fire at a Transjakarta bus shelter, situated over the bridge of Cawang Station in Jalan MT Haryono, East Jakarta, at 1.30 am.

National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief Marciano Norman pointed out that the attacks were made by members of one and the same group with the intention of spreading terror.

Through their actions, he continued, they were trying to make their presence known to the public in the area.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that people belonging to, or having links with, the same group are responsible for these attacks," he said when asked about the shooting incidents.

The shootings of police officers in Jakarta and a prison worker in Yogyakarta in Central Java also indicated that the terrorists saw through the threats they issued against security personnel, Marciano noted.

"The fact that the first two victims were shot from the back proves that these terror mongers are looking for easy targets. The last such target was also shot the same way," he stated. Marciano added that such incidents should serve as a warning that all security forces, including the military, the police, and prison guards, must never let down their guard.

"There should be no more victims," he said, adding that BIN would continue to support the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) in its investigative efforts.

Meanwhile, BNPT chief Ansyaad Mbai revealed that the BNPT is also involved in the investigation. Police officers are being targeted by terrorists because they represent the state, he explained.

"Those who propagate violence have hatred for the state, which is why they attack police officers, who are representatives of the state. Even in Iraq and Egypt, police officers have been attacked," he noted.

He added that in light of the recent attack on a police officer in Ciputat, people should not jump into a conclusion that it was carried out by a terrorist.

"Instead of jumping to any conclusion, let`s await the results of the investigation," he said, adding on a lighter note that the terrorists were also celebrating "lebaran" (post-fasting holiday).

Meanwhile, Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the National Police ordered its rank and file to remain on alert for shooting attacks

"In view of the recent shooting incidents, the police chief has instructed his officers on duty to stay on alert for more such attacks. Police suspect that those shooting incidents were acts of terror," Boy stated.

Boy expressed the suspicion of police that the shooters were members of a radical group whose objective was to spread terror. "So far, it seems like they are all from a radical group that has the audacity to attack police," he added.

He noted that people who have the courage to attack police officers are generally members of such radical groups intent upon spreading violence.

Therefore, the Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) has called on the police to analyze the several mysterious shooting attacks on its personnel in recent days and train as hard as possible to tackle the problem.

"The National Police should examine the shooting phenomenon seriously and train its members to the maximum extent possible to deal with such eventualities," IPT Presidium Chairman Neta S Pane said.

Neta said efforts at the grass-roots level were necessary for police personnel to earn the public`s respect and also anticipate the actions of criminals who dare to shoot police officers in the field.

Deputy Police Chief Oegroseno said that the police will soon crack down on illegal firearms trade in response to the recent attacks.

He said the police will launch such operations across the country and take firm action against those found in illegal possession of firearms.

Oegroseno pointed out that the rampant shooting incidents of late took place not because of the failure of police to take steps in anticipation of criminal acts. Intelligence was also functioning well, he added.

"We should understand that criminals are always a step ahead. We can take various anticipatory steps, but sometimes they can still manage to be ahead of us," Oegroseno said.

The public also must play an active role and help the police in the fight against the illegal trading and possession of firearms.(*)

Reporter: Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013