Police deny sending bomb warning messages

The National Police denied that its Anti-terror Special Detachment had issued bomb warning text messages cautioning people against possible bomb attacks related to the Bali bombing convicts' pending execution.

"The Special Detachment 88 Anti-terror squad never sent such a message," National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Abubakar Nataprawira said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Abubakar asked the public to remain calm and ignore the false messages. The police cyber crime division were investigating the source of the message, he added.

The message claims to forward a warning (from the Special Detachment) of possible bomb attacks in malls, embassies, places of worship, and Western food outlets around the time of the upcoming execution, scheduled by the Attorney General's Office for early November.

Separately, National Police crimes head Detective Insp. Gen. Susno Duadji said he had asked all regional police chiefs to increase security measures in their respective areas.

"I can't say what steps police will take. We are dealing with intelligent people here," he told reporters in Bandung. (dre)