Police: Christmas Celebrations Proceed Peacefully

Jakarta, Dec 26 (ANTARA) - Christmas celebrations in Indonesia are proceeding peacefully, according to the Indonesian National Police. "There have been no security issues until now and Christmas celebrations are proceeding peacefully," said Brig Gen Boy Rafli Amar, Public Relations Division Chief of the National Police, on Tuesday. Poso and Central Sulawesi are safe. Security officers had found a home-made bomb in front of the Poso Central Market on Tuesday (morning). The bomb was in the form a five-litre red can (in a backpack). When police officers opened the backpack, they found a hand phone, urea nitrate flour, hundreds of 13-cm nails and two detonators. "Poso is safe. We have managed to locate the home-made bomb in front of the Pasar Sentra market," Boy said. Brigadier General Dewa Parsana, Central Sulawesi`s Regional Police Chief, said (on Tuesday) the bomb squad of the Central Sulawesi Police managed to defuse the bomb in front of the Poso Central Market on Tuesday (at 7am). "The bomb was in the form of a five-litre red can, which was placed inside a backpack," said Brigadier General Dewa Parsana on Tuesday. While defusing the bomb, the police found a cellular phone, which was used as the bomb`s timer, urea nitrate powder, hundreds of 13-inch nails and two detonators. Parsana said the bomb was supposed to detonate at 7.30am. However, a Poso Police Sector Station officer found the bomb near a security post (in front of the Poso Central Market) at 6.30am. He immediately informed the bomb squad of Polres (District Police Office) Poso, located 200 metres from the location of the bomb. After the bomb was defused, it was taken to the Poso Resort Police Office for further investigation. "We are still investigating the matter," Parsana said. Boy Rafli said the December 20 (shooting) incident that had killed four members of the Police Mobile Brigade Corps is also under investigation. He added that the Central Sulawesi Regional Police is questioning two suspected terrorists (S and M) with regard to the shooting incident on December 20.