Snipers, anti-terror units readied to secure Pope Francis in Jakarta

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesia Defense Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) have prepared snipers and anti-terror units to escort Pope Francis during his visit to Jakarta on September 3–6, 2024.

Commander of the Joint Regional Defense Command (Pangkogabwilhan) I, Vice Admiral Agus Hariadi, ensured that the snipers were prepared by following the applicable standard operating procedures (SOP) for securing state guests.

"Snipers are prepared based on a standard procedure," he noted on Monday.

However, Hariadi did not specify the number and placement of the snipers.

On the same occasion, Commander of the Indonesian Police Mobile Brigade Corps, Commissioner General Imam Widodo, stated that the TNI and Polri have also prepared troops from the Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Anti-Terror to guard Pope Francis during his visit.

Widodo stated that a cyber unit is also being readied to prevent and handle cyber threats during Pope Francis' visit to Jakarta.

The TNI and Polri Headquarters held a troops' roll call to secure Pope Francis and the 2024 Indonesia International Sustainability Forum (ISF) at the TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, Jakarta, on Monday,

During the roll call, as many as 9,030 TNI and police soldiers were on standby to secure the two world-class activities. Of that figure, 4,300 are TNI soldiers, while the other 4,730 are personnel of the police.

For the security scheme, the TNI and Polri implemented a layered security system of Ring 1, Ring 2, and Ring 3. Ring 1 security will be handled by the presidential security guard (Paspampres) and attached to Pope Francis.

Pope Francis, who is Head of the Holy See of the Vatican, is scheduled to land at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten, on Tuesday (September 3), followed by a visit to the Merdeka Palace on Wednesday and will be welcomed by President Joko Widodo.

On Thursday (September 5), the Supreme Head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to visit the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta and lead a grand holy mass at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Jakarta.

Pope Francis will depart from Jakarta on September 6 and head to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.