Indonesia issues security alert in Jakarta

Police on Jakarta street (Photo: VNA)

Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian national police on May 21 imposed an alert status in the capital city of Jakarta right after the presidential poll result had been announced.

National police spokesman Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo said the status took effect from May 21 and will last until May 26, during which period militants have plotted to launch bomb strikes on planned rallies opposing the poll results.

He stressed that this is a real threat, especially after the police arrested many militants who planned terrorist attacks on May 22.

Seventy-two alleged militants have been nabbed by the national police since January. The police issued warning of a terrorist plot during a mass rally on the poll result day.

Although the country’s electoral commission released the official result of the election a day earlier than schedule, the security authority still does not rule out the potential of terrorist attacks, he said.

The General Election Commission on May 21 officially announced Joko Widodo was reelected for the second term as he won 55.5 percent of votes as compared to 44.5 percent for his rival, former General Prabowo Subianto.-VNA