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Airport security beefed up as world reels from terror attacks
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A traveler passes a broken window at the arrivals hall of Ataturk Airport, in Istanbul, Turkey on June 29. AP/Bram Janssen (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
T
he National Police and Indonesian Military (TNI) have deployed up to 1,200 armed personnel to secure airports from terror attacks during the Idul Fitri holiday season.
State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura (AP) II president director Budi Karya Sumadi said on Monday the security personnel would be deployed in 13 airports in western Indonesia until July 17.
The measures were taken in the wake of three deadly terror attacks in Istanbul, Dhaka and Baghdad that claimed hundreds of civilians’ lives and occurred in the last days of the holy month of Ramadhan. The Islamic State (IS) group, which vowed to step up attacks during Ramadan, has claimed or is being blamed for the attacks.
"TNI personnel on guard duty may use [their firearms] under restrictions [...] all in order to prevent Turkey-style attacks from happening here," Budi said, referring to the shooting and bombing spree at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport last week.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta, and Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra are receiving the highest priority, with 100 police officers and 100 TNI officers deployed to secure each area, Budi said.
The joint taskforce is also conducting sweeps at airport parking lots as well as performing random seizure operations of vehicles entering the airport complex to improve early detection, Budi said. (ary)
