Security Tightening in Bali Following Osama's Death

DENPASAR, KOMPAS.com - Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has instructed the tightening of security on the tourist island following the death of Osama bin Laden. "This is to follow up the instruction of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to step up security in Indonesia," the governor said here Tuesday.

Security measures will be intensified not only at the gates into Bali, but also places where foreign tourists, especially those from America , usually stay or gather, he said. "Certainly we are particularly protecting foreign tourists, not only American tourists but all foreign tourists," he said.

The security of tourists was the responsibility of Bali’s authorities. "During their stay in Bali, automatically we are responsible for their security and comfort," Made Mangku Pastika said.

The former Bali Police chief said all security personnel in Bali were now on high alert. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s military (TNI) is increasing its alertness following the death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan to anticipate possible threats, TNI commander Admiral Agus Suhartono said.

"Certainly we together with the police will step up the alertness to prevent any eventuality," he said in Jakarta on Monday. He said TNI still needed support from all community components including the mass media who could report immediately in case they found abnormal things.

"That way we could take anticipatory measures more quickly, correctly and better so that any eventuality could be prevented," he said.

Bin Laden (54), the leader of terrorist network Al Qaeda, was believed to be the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York when more than 3,000 people were killed after two planes crashed into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers. The news about his death broke on May 1 after he had been the target of a manhunt that lasted almost 10 years.