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Almost 10,000 police in Bali this NYE

Indonesian police are throwing resources at Bali this New Years Eve, as Indonesia again finds itself confronting a terror threat.

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Bali's police are on high terror alert after an ISIS-inspired group's plans to strike in the Christmas-New Year period were discovered. Source: Getty Images

More than 9000 police officers will be deployed on New Years Eve in Bali, concentrated in areas where terrorists have struck before.

Bali's police are on the highest possible terror alert after an ISIS-inspired group's plans to strike in the Christmas-New Year period were discovered last week, with the help of Australian intelligence.

A further two people were arrested in Solo, Central Java, this week in connection with the plot to send a suicide bomber to attack New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta.

President Joko Widodo, high-ranking police, police buildings and foreigners were also said to be in their discussions.

Bali provincial police chief Sugeng Priyanto says the popular tourist island was not specifically mentioned but he was taking precautions to ensure thousands of holiday makers were safe.

Nightspots in Kuta and restaurants in Jimbaran - targets of the 2002 and 2005 bombings that killed 92 Australians - will be top priorities.

"We will place 9528 personnel to secure New Years Eve," Insp Gen Priyanto said, adding a further 1444 military personnel, security guards and pecalang - community security guards - would back them up.

"Our priority is in Seminyak, Kuta, cafes in Jimbaran, Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Sanur and Nusa Dua.

"In those places, we will have selective checking of suspicious people whether they be domestic tourists or foreign tourists. I will secure it to the most secure degree possible." Indonesia's counter terror squad Detachment 88 is also continuing its upscaled hunt for the country's most wanted terrorist, Santoso, on the island of Sulawesi.

The police chief said he had no intelligence to support fears Santoso's network was edging towards Bali, via West Nusa Tenggara.

"We have strengthened security in Padangbai Port, Benoa Port as well as the airport," he said.

"Up to now, there's no intelligence information about Santoso's network entering Bali."


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



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