Bali ups security, but knows of no plot

Bali ups security, but knows of no plot
By admin


Bali police say they know of no plan to attack the holiday island but they are increasing vigilance as Islamic State (IS) ideology creeps into Indonesia.

There are concerns Australia's deployment to the United Arab Emirates, in readiness to fight IS in Iraq, could make Australians a target when holidaying abroad.

Bali police spokesman Hery Wiyanto says there is no information that terrorists are planning another bombing like those that killed 88 Australians in 2002 and four in 2005.

"So far, there's no plan we've heard of, whether through intelligence or from (Indonesia's counter-terror squad) Detachment 88," he said.

"Nevertheless, we're being cautious."

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has reportedly ordered authorities to keep a closer eye on foreign nationals in Indonesia after Detachment 88 on Saturday arrested four foreigners suspected of having IS links in a known terror hotspot in central Sulawesi.

The four were first thought to be Turkish but are reportedly Uighurs from China's restive Xinjiang region who were using forged passports.

Wiyanto says so many foreigners enter Bali daily, claiming "it's impossible to observe them one by one".

"It's difficult, but we have co-ordinated with immigration to check documents more thoroughly, and in hotels we are also doing the same."

Meanwhile, police in Central Java have tightened security measures at the world famous Borobudur Temple after a threat, apparently inspired by IS, was found on Facebook last month.

The Buddhist monument, a UNESCO world heritage site, was targeted by radicals in 1985.

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