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Balikpapan (ANTARA News) - National Police Chief Gen Sutanto has called on security personnel to remain on guard in the border areas against the possibility of fugitive Jemaah Islamiyah kingpin Mas Slamet Kastari`s entry into East Kalimantan.

"We have to maintain security and anticipate whoever will possibly enter into the border areas of East Kalimantan," the National Police chief said here on Thursday.

Sutanto pointed out that Kastari, a terror suspect who escaped from a prison in Singapore on February 27 this year may try to enter East Kalimantan through the border areas between the two counries.

Because of the possibility of Kastari entering through the border, Sutanto said the police should remain on guard.

He also said in Jakarta early this month that the police would
work closely with their Singaporean counterparts in the hunt of Kastari.

The Jamaah Islamiyah member was accused of plotting to hijack a plane and crash it into Changi airport in Singapore in 2001.

Since being extradited to Singapore, Kastari had been held under the city-state`s Internal Security Act at Whitley prison, but he escaped after being permitted to use the toilet during a visit by family members.

Sutanto noted that the security personnel should not only be on guard against terrorist entering into East Kalimantan but also against other illicit activities such as illegal logging and illegal fishing.

Therefore he called on East Kalimantan people to jointly maintain security against terrorism, illegal logging, and illegal fishing activities.

He admitted that he had yet to deploy additional security personnel at the border but he expressed hope that the local people would cooperate with the police to maintain security there. (*)

Source