The Jakarta Post, 10/13/2002 9:10:20 PM
Bomb blast in Bali caught security on the hop, former president
says
SURABAYA, East Java (JP): Former president Abdurrahman Wahid said here on
Sunday that the bomb blast that claimed many lives in Kuta, Bali, late on Saturday
happened due to lack of preparedness by security personnel.
"This case indicates two things: our security was not properly prepared and there has
been a political shock at the level of the political elite," Abdurrahman said in an
interview with Radio Suara Surabaya, as quoted by Antara, clarifying the latter point
as a "conflict between political parties in the legislature and between the legislative
and executive bodies."
He refused to say if the incident would become the means to question the ability of
the national leadership, but he urged the government to condemn the bombing.
"Hamzah Haz (the Vice President) should not merely express his concern, he should
also condemn the incident outright," he said.
However, he agreed with Hamzah's statement that the bombing occurred due to weak
intelligence, saying that the agency was in a poor state, like a cancer in its final
stages.
Furthermore, the former chairman of the Nahdulatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization
asked the government to take firm measures against extremist groups.
Meanwhile, NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi also agreed with Hamzah's statement on
the weakness of the national intelligence apparatus. "The intelligence agency has
displayed its weakness several times before but the bombing could not have been
anticipated."
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